1072 Antworten in diesem Thema

[IanPolaris]

Everyone,

A while ago I was convinced (and still am based on DAO lore) that Meridith's Annulement Order was illegal based on the prior game lore.  David Gaider said that in this case the Knight Commander can give herself the authority of th Grand Cleric.  I am still unhappy about that, but it is what it is.  It's official lore and I mention it only for background.

However, before everyoe brings out their knives accusing me of raising a dead horse, there is a different and more important reason why Meridith's order was illegal.  It turns out that she was not only assuming the authority of the Grand Cleric after Elthina had been assassinated (which DG assures us she can) but in this particular case she was assuming the authority of the Divine herself!  And the Divine is very much alive and very much in contact.

How can I make this extraordinary statement?  Meridith was too amibitious and too smart for her own good.  If you talk with Ser Kerras in Act 3, you find out that KC Meridith has sent to Val Royeaux for the Rite of Annulement.  Given that Elthina is only a couple of hours away (on a bad day), that has to mean (and Meridith herself all but confirms this when you talk with her if she gives you "Best Served Cold", that Elthina turned Meridith down).  It's a very unwise thing to go over the head of your immediate superior and military orders (like the Templars) have a very low tolerance of that.  It not only hurts cohesion, but it can actually hamstring local authority in a crisis and that's what happens here.

Given that we know in Act 3 almost from the beginning that Meridith has gone over Elthina's head to request a Rite of Annulment from the Divine herself, and given that the mages are still alive, we know one of two things must be true:

1.  The Divine turned Meridith down.  Given what we know of Dorthea (now Divine Justina) from Lelianna's song, I think there is a good chance that the Divine did turn Meridith down esp if her Grand Cleric on the spot wouldn't go along.

2.  The Divine hasn't bothered to answer yet.

In either case after the Chantry is bombed, Meridith not only takes the authority of the Grand Cleric (which DG says she can....my understanding notwithstanding) but because she involved the Divine already, she is also abrograting the lawful authority of the Divine herself.

Once Meridith asked the Divine for permission, she by her own act placed final authority in the hands of the Divine, LEGALLY.  Since the Divine is still very much alive either:

1.  She is going against the express order of the Divine (if the Divine turned her down).

2.  She is assuming the authority of the Divine since (presumably) the Divine has yet to answer and the act of making the request placed final authority in the hands of the Divine.

So even given DG's clarification, Meridith is still in the wrong.  Had she not involved the Divine then per DG, she'd still be (barely) legally in the right.  Because she went over the Grand Cleric's head, however, she removed final local authority and is now obligated to wait for the divine (the act of making the requests cedes any possible authority Meridith might have had in this issue to the Divine).  It's worth noting that Elthna could still authorize it at any time (until she died of course) because she did NOT involve the Divine and indeed begged the Divine to keep out of it.

-Polaris

Bearbeitet von IanPolaris, 07 April 2011 - 10:59 .

[Torax]

Meredith was in her blind, paranoid and to a point fanatical state for all of Act 3 it appears. She was just looking for an excuse. Anders gave it to her. Just like Anders was just waiting for an excuse to set off his little gift. She was in the wrong either way. Gaider may have been right in certain scenarios but you are using a loop hole to attempt to make her even more at fault.

I don't remember Gaider ever really saying she was innocent or right. He can also be right that with the Grand Clereic dead the Knight Commander assumes both roles. This could completely be right. So it could be argued that once that happens she wouldn't even have to consult Justinia. For better or worse Meredith still got what she wanted. Her men listened. The city outraged enough that they may not notice what actually happened for a long while. In her head anyway. I doubt Meredith cared about the consequences. She just wanted to kill the mages without the nobles crying to outside forces.

Bearbeitet von Torax, 07 April 2011 - 11:14 .

[Deified Data]

Meredith was mad, was she not?

[Sesshomaru47]

Deified Data wrote...

Meredith was mad, was she not?

She was slightly unhinged by Act III, she does have a reason though if you talk to her about it. It made her slightly more sympathetic, but she just takes it a little too far when she tries to backstab you at the end there...Not nice!

[RazorrX]

With the High Cleric dead, the ranking official - ie Knight Commander - takes over, acting as both until a new High Cleric can be appointed. Thus Merideth was legally able to declare the right of annulment, as she WAS in charge of the chantry at the time.

The High Cleric does NOT have to ask The Divine for permission to enact The RoA. At any given time the High Cleric could have changed her mind and told the Knight Commander to Annul the circle (it did not happen, but it could have happened). Merideth was the current acting HC for all intents and purposes (yet another nice side effect to Anders' actions, he put the worse person possible in charge).

Thus the Rite of Annulment as declared by Knight Commander Merideth was legal.

[IanPolaris]

Torax wrote...

Meredith was in her blind, paranoid and to a point fanatical state for all of Act 3 it appears. She was just looking for an excuse. Anders gave it to her. Just like Anders was just waiting for an excuse to set off his little gift. She was in the wrong either way. Gaider may have been right in certain scenarios but you are using a loop hole to attempt to make her even more at fault.

I don't remember Gaider ever really saying she was innocent or right. He can also be right that with the Grand Clereic dead the Knight Commander assumes both roles. This could completely be right. So it could be argued that once that happens she wouldn't even have to consult Justinia. For better or worse Meredith still got what she wanted. Her men listened. The city outraged enough that they may not notice what actually happened for a long while. In her head anyway. I doubt Meredith cared about the consequences. She just wanted to kill the mages without the nobles crying to outside forces.

I want to be very clear about something.  I am not talking about DG's "clarification" that when the Grand Cleric died, Meridith could assume that authority w/r/t the Rite of Annulment.  That's a dead issue.

What I am talking about is considerably more subtle but just as important and just as damning.  I am not even talking about ethically damning or whther it was morally right.  What I am saying is this:

Once you ask permission from a higher authority and/or ask that higher authority to intercede, then you cede your authority to that higher authority in the hopes that authority will see it your way.

That's what happpened here.  Meridith was too clever by half.  Had she groused and kept her mouth shut then per DG, Merditih would legally have been (barely) in the right.  However, by appealing directly to the Divine, Meridith by her actions is either:

1.  Disobeying a direct order from the Divine.

2.  Taking authority that is the Divine's (by Meridith's own request no less) by not waiting for her answer.

Elthina did not have the problem since she never involved the Divine.  Meridith does.  This is why it's generally a very bad idea to bypass the chain of command.

Meridith put herself in a legal bind.  It's probably a good thing Hawke kills her because the Divine (even if the Divine agreed) would have roasted Meridith over an open fire one millimeter at a time for asking her to step in with her authority and then openly abrogating it.

-Polaris

[The Angry One]

Meredith was asking for the Right of Annulment from Val Royeux before the Chantry blew up.
She was obligated to wait for a response if the circumstances from the point she made that request didn't change.
They did. The Chantry exploded and the Grand Cleric was assassinated, the city was in chaos and she is well within her authority to declare a state of emergency and invoke the Right.

[IanPolaris]

RazorrX wrote...

With the High Cleric dead, the ranking official - ie Knight Commander - takes over, acting as both until a new High Cleric can be appointed. Thus Merideth was legally able to declare the right of annulment, as she WAS in charge of the chantry at the time.

The High Cleric does NOT have to ask The Divine for permission to enact The RoA. At any given time the High Cleric could have changed her mind and told the Knight Commander to Annul the circle (it did not happen, but it could have happened). Merideth was the current acting HC for all intents and purposes (yet another nice side effect to Anders' actions, he put the worse person possible in charge).

Thus the Rite of Annulment as declared by Knight Commander Merideth was legal.

You're missing it.  Had Meridith not requested the Rite of Annulment ahead of time from the Divine, then yes, per DG it would have been legal.  However, Meridith DID specifically go over Elthina's head and directly appealed to a higher authority.  That means that by Meridith's own request the final decision on appeal lies with the Grand Cleric she requested the Rite from, i.e. Divine Justina and Divine Justina is NOT dead and still very much in contact.  THIS is what makes it illegal.

You can't appeal to a higher court and then give yourself a summary judgement in your favor AFTER the appeal has been filed.  Same here.

-Polaris

Edit: If a Grand Cleric appeals to higher authority (the Divine) then the Grand Cleric is obligated to wait for an answer regardless of the normal legality.  That doesn't change.  KC Meridith became (per DG) acting Grand Cleric, but she HAD already appealed to higher authority and the situation with regard to the circle itself had not changed.  Thus she was legally obligated to wait.

Bearbeitet von IanPolaris, 08 April 2011 - 12:01 .

[IanPolaris]

The Angry One wrote...

Meredith was asking for the Right of Annulment from Val Royeux before the Chantry blew up.
She was obligated to wait for a response if the circumstances from the point she made that request didn't change.
They did. The Chantry exploded and the Grand Cleric was assassinated, the city was in chaos and she is well within her authority to declare a state of emergency and invoke the Right.

Wrong.  The situation with regard to the circle had not changed.  The mages were still locked down in the gallows and were not an immediate threat to the city.  The deciding authority (the Divine) was still very much alive and still in contact.

Had Meridith not asked the Divine to intervene, then you'd be right, but she did and that changes everything.

-Polaris

[The Angry One]

IanPolaris wrote...

The Angry One wrote...

Meredith was asking for the Right of Annulment from Val Royeux before the Chantry blew up.
She was obligated to wait for a response if the circumstances from the point she made that request didn't change.
They did. The Chantry exploded and the Grand Cleric was assassinated, the city was in chaos and she is well within her authority to declare a state of emergency and invoke the Right.

Wrong.  The situation with regard to the circle had not changed.  The mages were still locked down in the gallows and were not an immediate threat to the city.  The deciding authority (the Divine) was still very much alive and still in contact.

Had Meridith not asked the Divine to intervene, then you'd be right, but she did and that changes everything.

-Polaris

The situation in the city changed.
Do you honestly think Anders had no contacts within the Circle?
First, we know he did with Karl. Secondly, Anders speaks of a "mage underground" that's been all but eliminated in Act 3 by Meredith.
How far a stretch is it for someone who's already ultra-paranoid to conclude that Anders was conspiring with agents within the Circle to assassinate the Grand Cleric? The situation then changes (to her) and thus it is legal for her to invoke the Right based on her judgement call (the legality of the situation doesn't take into account that the Knight-Commander is a fruitcake).

[Camenae]

I'm really not trying to be a jerk, but are you spelling her name "Merideth" on purpose? >_<

[IanPolaris]

The Angry One wrote...

The situation in the city changed.

Irrelevant.  The situation regarding the CIRCLE had not.  Templars only have authority over the circle and defending the Chantry (as Orsino very correctly points out at the start of Act 3.

Do you honestly think Anders had no contacts within the Circle?
First, we know he did with Karl. Secondly, Anders speaks of a "mage underground" that's been all but eliminated in Act 3 by Meredith.

All the evidence directly points to Anders acting alone (or duping the party).  Meridith never questions or challenges this.   Thus there is no evidence that the situation w/r/t the circle has changed.

How far a stretch is it for someone who's already ultra-paranoid to conclude that Anders was conspiring with agents within the Circle to assassinate the Grand Cleric? The situation then changes (to her) and thus it is legal for her to invoke the Right based on her judgement call (the legality of the situation doesn't take into account that the Knight-Commander is a fruitcake).

I agree that Meridith is a fruit-loop.  That has no bearing on whether or not the action is legal.  Per DG, had Meridith left well enough along to this point, then yes, she would have been technically, legally, in the right.  She didn't though.  She explicitly appealed to higher clerical authority to overrule the local Grand Cleric.  That doesn't change even if (Temporarily) she is the local Grand Cleric (I still don't agree with that interpretation btw but it's DG's call to make and he has).

-Polaris

[IanPolaris]

Camenae wrote...

I'm really not trying to be a jerk, but are you spelling her name "Merideth" on purpose? >_<

No.  Please insert the proper spelling.  No pun is intended.

-Polaris

[Camenae]

Meredith. I only brought it up because your posts are otherwise really good grammar/spelling-wise, so consistently spelling it as "Merideth" seemed out of place. : )

[RazorrX]

Actually, the city was under martial law, and the destruction of the temple along with the beloved High Cleric would have caused a MAJOR riot in the city if there was not immediate and decisive action taken. YES I think it was way overboard, but again she had the legal right to do it as she was not the one in charge.

Situation changed, city was in turmoil. Forgiveness is much easier to get than to wait for permission and lose everything. It was legal or would have been made legal.

[AshenEndymion]

Irrelevant. The situation regarding the CIRCLE had not. Templars only have authority over the circle and defending the Chantry (as Orsino very correctly points out at the start of Act 3.

The situation regarding the Circle is irrelevant.

The fact that the person who can authorize the order changed is the only aspect that needs to be known. Your claim is that the a new Grand Cleric (even if it wasn't Meredith) could not authorize the Right of Annulment? That is false.

All Meredith has to do is ask the new Grand Cleric if she can invoke the Right of Annulment. That the new person with the authority of the Grand Cleric is herself doesn't really matter. Meredith would only have to wait for the Divine's response if Meredith declined her own request....

[IanPolaris]

RazorrX wrote...

Actually, the city was under martial law, and the destruction of the temple along with the beloved High Cleric would have caused a MAJOR riot in the city if there was not immediate and decisive action taken. YES I think it was way overboard, but again she had the legal right to do it as she was not the one in charge.

Situation changed, city was in turmoil. Forgiveness is much easier to get than to wait for permission and lose everything. It was legal or would have been made legal.

Yes the city was under martial law, but the city was NOT in turmoil.  Captain Avalein (sp?) tells you very specifically that the guard under Donnic is maintaining order and for now anyway, they've kept a lid on it.  So there was no major riot in the city UNTIL  Meridith issued her proclomation and even then it was very localized.

Besides, the city is irrelevant.  Meridith has no authority to put them under martial law anyway (the Seneschal makes that point very clear if you talk with him).  That authority belongs to the Guard Captain and Seneschal.  The only thing that matters for a Rite of Annulment is the state of the circle itself and even after Ander's bombing that had not changed.  The circle had nothing to do with it, which even Meridith admits by implication (she simply doesn't care).  Given that, the circle situation had not changed then, and that means Meridith is obligated to wait since she was the one that got the Divine involved.

-Polaris

[The Angry One]

IanPolaris wrote...

Irrelevant.  The situation regarding the CIRCLE had not.  Templars only have authority over the circle and defending the Chantry (as Orsino very correctly points out at the start of Act 3.

Templars are also obligated to protect normal citizens from mages.

All the evidence directly points to Anders acting alone (or duping the party).  Meridith never questions or challenges this.   Thus there is no evidence that the situation w/r/t the circle has changed.

There's no evidence that really says anything either way. In this instance it's basically a judgement call by the Knight-Commander.

I agree that Meridith is a fruit-loop.  That has no bearing on whether or not the action is legal.

It's relevant in as much as you have to look at the pure legality of the situation, which is based on the Knight-Commander having the right during a state of emergency to make this judgement call.

Per DG, had Meridith left well enough along to this point, then yes, she would have been technically, legally, in the right.  She didn't though.  She explicitly appealed to higher clerical authority to overrule the local Grand Cleric.  That doesn't change even if (Temporarily) she is the local Grand Cleric (I still don't agree with that interpretation btw but it's DG's call to make and he has).

-Polaris

Like it or not, the bombing allows her to do just that.
She can claim the bombing was a conspiracy, or even if Anders can be proven to have worked alone she can claim that the act set off a mage rebellion. She can claim mages are flooding the streets using the chaos to escape or kill, or that demons are using this event to cross the veil and possess mages.
Point this is a major, major event that destabilises the whole city and that can justify not waiting for the Divine's response.

Bearbeitet von The Angry One, 08 April 2011 - 12:24 .

[IanPolaris]

AshenEndemion wrote...

Irrelevant. The situation regarding the CIRCLE had not. Templars only have authority over the circle and defending the Chantry (as Orsino very correctly points out at the start of Act 3.

The situation regarding the Circle is irrelevant.

The fact that the person who can authorize the order changed is the only aspect that needs to be known. Your claim is that the a new Grand Cleric (even if it wasn't Meredith) could not authorize the Right of Annulment? That is false.

All Meredith has to do is ask the new Grand Cleric if she can invoke the Right of Annulment. That the new person with the authority of the Grand Cleric is herself doesn't really matter. Meredith would only have to wait for the Divine's response if Meredith declined her own request....

The "new" Grand Cleric had already appealed to higher authority to bypass the local office of the Grand Cleric.  Yo can not appeal something and then give yourself summary judgement in your favor before the appeal is settled.  Doesn't work that way.  Had Elthina petitioned the Divine (for example) then she would have been obligatd to wait regardless of normal legality.  It's the same here.

The point is this:  By going over Elthinas head and involving the Divine, Meridith essentially hamstrung the local authority in doing so.  This is why you DON'T jump the chain of command.  Whatever the nominal legality, Meridih asked for a ruling from higher Chantry authority.  She is obigated to wait for an asnwer unless the situation with the circle changes and it didn't.  That's the point.

-Polaris

[The Angry One]

IanPolaris wrote...

Yes the city was under martial law, but the city was NOT in turmoil.  Captain Avalein (sp?) tells you very specifically that the guard under Donnic is maintaining order and for now anyway, they've kept a lid on it.  So there was no major riot in the city UNTIL  Meridith issued her proclomation and even then it was very localized.

Remember we're talking about the legality of the situation, not the reality.
The city has just suffered a major attack and is by definition in turmoil. LEGALLY Meredith has every right to respond to this.

Besides, the city is irrelevant.  Meridith has no authority to put them under martial law anyway (the Seneschal makes that point very clear if you talk with him).  That authority belongs to the Guard Captain and Seneschal.  The only thing that matters for a Rite of Annulment is the state of the circle itself and even after Ander's bombing that had not changed.  The circle had nothing to do with it, which even Meridith admits by implication (she simply doesn't care).  Given that, the circle situation had not changed then, and that means Meridith is obligated to wait since she was the one that got the Divine involved.

-Polaris

Again, a Templar's duty is to protect the citizenry from mages gone out of control, if the Knight-Commander determines that this is the case then they have the right to impose martial law.

Bearbeitet von The Angry One, 08 April 2011 - 12:27 .

[Oneiropolos]

No, she still didn't act illegally. The situation changed. There were now extenuating circumstances. If she had even been denied by the Divine before, where in chantry law about the Right of Anullment does it say that it cannot be applied for again in the future if the situation changes? Do you have a book in front of you stating "The Right of Annullment can only be called for once a year and all other attempts are invalid until the following year". You have made NO case against contingency plans. I REALLY doubt that anyone in Thedas has ever had to deal with a Chantry being BLOWN UP in order to get a Grand Cleric out of the way before by a mage. You can say Anders was not of the circle all you want, but he does associate with them and he WAS one of them previously. He was actually illegally not one of them NOW, as the provision for him was if he remained in the Grey Wardens, which he does not. He just is tolerated for various reasons stated within the game.

Look, I don't know many people who, even taking the Templar side of things, are going "Meredith was RIGHT to use the Right of Anullment!" But all you've done is point out Meredith was attempting to get permission a lot sooner, which I noticed in my second playthrough.

Likely, Meredith was STILL Pestering the current Grand Cleric to grant permission after she sent for permission from the Divine. She could have even received a response that stated that the Divine was unwilling to give permission if the regional power (the Grand Cleric) did not grant it. It doesn't say Meredith couldn't act like a kid wanting a pony and then tugged on the Grand Cleric's arm to get her way. The Grand Cleric was quite clearly refusing. Then she got blown up. The regional power became Meredith. Thank you -so- much, Anders.

This does not negate that it was still legal.

[IanPolaris]

The Angry One wrote...

IanPolaris wrote...

Irrelevant.  The situation regarding the CIRCLE had not.  Templars only have authority over the circle and defending the Chantry (as Orsino very correctly points out at the start of Act 3.

Templars are also obligated to protect normal citizens from mages.

And vice-versa although most of the templars seem to have forgotten that.  It's irrelevant.  By locking down the Gallows, the Templars have done that (protected the city).

All the evidence directly points to Anders acting alone (or duping the party).  Meridith never questions or challenges this.   Thus there is no evidence that the situation w/r/t the circle has changed.

There's no evidence that really says anything either way. In this instance it's basically a judgement call by the Knight-Commander.

There is not one scintilla of evidence that suggests that Anders did anything other than act alone (and he specifically acted alone so others would not be blamed.  He all but says this).  Moreover, Meridith at no point accuses the Circle of being complicit at all when Orisino denies it.  That means by implication she accepts the circle is innocent but doesn't care.  That means the situaion witht the circle itself (the only thing that matters for a Rite of Annulment) hasn't actually changed.

I agree that Meridith is a fruit-loop.  That has no bearing on whether or not the action is legal.

It's relevant in as much as you have to look at the pure legality of the situation, which is based on the Knight-Commander having the right during a state of emergency to make this judgement call.

Per DG, normlly she would, but she ceded that right when she appealed to the Divine.  Deal with it.

Per DG, had Meridith left well enough along to this point, then yes, she would have been technically, legally, in the right.  She didn't though.  She explicitly appealed to higher clerical authority to overrule the local Grand Cleric.  That doesn't change even if (Temporarily) she is the local Grand Cleric (I still don't agree with that interpretation btw but it's DG's call to make and he has).

-Polaris

Like it or not, the bombing allows her to do just that.
She can claim the bombing was a conspiracy, or even if Anders can be proven to have worked alone she can claim that the act set off a mage rebellion. She can claim mages are flooding the streets using the chaos to escape or kill, or that demons are using this event to cross the veil and possess mages.
Point this is a major, major event that destabilises the whole city and that can justify not waiting for the Divine's response.

Nope.  She doesn't.  Had Meridith not appealed to the Divine then very technically (per DG) she would have.  But she did and the situation with the circle itself had not changed.  Ergo, Meridith's order was illegal.  Either she:

1. Disobeyed a direct order from the DIvine.
2.  Abrogated authority given to the Divine by Meridith's own request.

-Polaris

[AshenEndymion]

IanPolaris wrote...

AshenEndemion wrote...

The situation regarding the Circle is irrelevant.

The fact that the person who can authorize the order changed is the only aspect that needs to be known. Your claim is that the a new Grand Cleric (even if it wasn't Meredith) could not authorize the Right of Annulment? That is false.

All Meredith has to do is ask the new Grand Cleric if she can invoke the Right of Annulment. That the new person with the authority of the Grand Cleric is herself doesn't really matter. Meredith would only have to wait for the Divine's response if Meredith declined her own request....

The "new" Grand Cleric had already appealed to higher authority to bypass the local office of the Grand Cleric.  Yo can not appeal something and then give yourself summary judgement in your favor before the appeal is settled.  Doesn't work that way.  Had Elthina petitioned the Divine (for example) then she would have been obligatd to wait regardless of normal legality.  It's the same here.

The point is this:  By going over Elthinas head and involving the Divine, Meridith essentially hamstrung the local authority in doing so.  This is why you DON'T jump the chain of command.  Whatever the nominal legality, Meridih asked for a ruling from higher Chantry authority.  She is obigated to wait for an asnwer unless the situation with the circle changes and it didn't.  That's the point.

-Polaris

The new Grand Cleric does not have to appeal to the Divine for a decision she can make on her own.

You're basically saying that if "Sister Serrah" had been standing next to Meredith, and became the new Grand Cleric, Meredith could NOT ask Grand Cleric Serrah for the Right of Annulment because Meredith had already gone to the Divine.  THIS IS FALSE.

Meredith does not have to go wait for the Divine the moment a new Grand Cleric is available.  She just needs to ask the new Grand Cleric.  If Meredith is the new Grand Cleric, she only needs to ask herself, and does not have to wait for the Divine's permission.

[1Nosphorus1]

Refreshing post, thank you.

I feel that perhaps invoking the right of annulment was more than likely illegal, but I can't really think of any other way for her to basically say "Kill all mages" while being a crazy, lyrium addled, sword wielding woman templar.

I think DG's input on this would be great.

[Benchmark]

IanPolaris wrote...

The Angry One wrote...

The situation in the city changed.

Irrelevant.  The situation regarding the CIRCLE had not.  Templars only have authority over the circle and defending the Chantry (as Orsino very correctly points out at the start of Act 3.

All the evidence directly points to Anders acting alone (or duping the party).  Meridith never questions or challenges this.   Thus there is no evidence that the situation w/r/t the circle has changed.


-Polaris

Both of these statements are based on your personal viewpoint and your theorycrafting of what events transpired in the fictional world. Noone can be certain what types of information Meredtith had at her disposal. Reports of clandestine meetings, intercepted messages, Orsino's heart shaped diary with Anders sketches and Ander's manifesto. Until they release some type of backstory compendium, I think you should accept that Meredith was capable and warranted in making the decision she did.

It is obviously intended by the writers for both viewpoints to be valid, and the decision be only based upon the gut feelings of the player. Personally I support the Templars and I had every intention of putting the mages down after Ander's fun little tantrum. I loved the High Cleric and she was good to my family. Sadly I had to support the mages in the final battle, because I loved my sister and Meredith was being unreasonable. So I told her I would meet her on the field of battlejust before I murderknifed Anders and wished I could have used something messier to do it.

I didn't completely disagree* with her. She was right, her decision was somewhat bound by her position. An entire city had just lost their spiritual heart, they would demand action. Big action. Parading one unknown apostate wasn't going to cut it. She had to answer their expectations.

Still, if it was my call, I would have accepted Orsino's agreement of a complete lockdown and search. And I wasn't letting her hurt my sister- not now, not next week, not ever.