233 réponses à ce sujet

[TEWR]

Mr.House wrote...

It's not, just saying you can rp Hawke who sides with the Templars in a way that does not make them mage haters or want to kill every mage in sight. It's still done really crappy to teh point where players have to fix Biowares crappy writing.

That's primarily what angers me about the game. I have to roleplay my Hawkes so much just to fix Bioware's shoddy writing.

They may be proud of the game they delivered -- and that's fine -- but we the players aren't. The writing was horrendous.

People say if this was a game by anyone else it would've been a good game. I say that's a lie. It would've still been a ****ty game with horrendous writing. The fact that it's a Bioware game just adds insult to injury.

And so far, Bioware hasn't addressed the biggest complaint about DAII: Hawke taking no action at all. Whether he succeeds or fails is irrelevant. Players just want to see him take some sort of action instead of just acting like a lump.

[TJPags]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

TJPags wrote...


Maybe so.  But she IS the Knight Commander.  It IS her job, after all, or at least part of it.  I suppose Orsino could have said that, suggested a compromise - Cullen leading the search, let's say.  Although honestly, I doubt Meredith herself was going to go room to room.  She probably would have had someone else actively supervise.  That's my thought, anyway.

Her job is to protect the mages from the populus as well as the populus from the mages. But the mages were never a threat to the populus in this particular instance.

Her job is to work with the First Enchanter and not let her personal bias interfere with her duty.

On both counts she fails utterly because she lets the mob that she thinks will form -- which doesn't thanks to Aveline, the Champion, and the fact that we don't see anyone heading towards the Gallows aside from mages and Templars -- dictate her actions.

She fails in her duty because she wanted that Annulment.

But the thing is, Orsino is opposed to a search . . . not to Meredith leading or taking part in a search.

Sure, she's crazy by Act 3, and getting crazier . . . . but we all know she IS actually right about blood mages in the Gallows.

I have a hard time seeing Orsino's refusal as anything but self-interest after the revelations at the end of the game.  And before people say that's metagaming, which it is, his refusal strikes me as odd eve when made.  Innocent people should have nothing to fear from a search.

You cannot do that! You have no right! -- Orsino

Doesn't sound like he's opposed to the search. Sounds like he's opposed to Meredith calling for it.

Please Knight-Commander, I beg you. Call off the Right of Annulment. I'll let you search the tower. I'll even help you! But don't punish us all for an act we didn't commit! -- Orsino

That doesn't sound like a man who is interested in only himself. That doesn't sound like a Circle beyond saving. That sounds like a man who would gladly surrender to justice for being an academic blood mage.

The mages were innocent of that act. Were they entirely innocent? We don't really know. For all we know Hawke cleaned house and killed every blood mage in the Gallows. We only encounter one after the RoA is called for, but we don't know if she was always a blood mage or if the Templars threatening her life drove her to become a blood mage.

You mistake me, I think.

Your first point doesn't relate to this discussion, really.  Yes, part of her job is to protect mages from the people.  But another part of her job is to police the mages, and make sure they obey the law.  Those are not mutually exclusive.

Your second point, you kind of look at backwards.  Sure, he capitulates to the search.  But it's really irrelevant.

He first - before Anders blows the Chantry - opposes the search.  A search by the Knight Commander, when we know for a fact there are blood mages in the Circle at that time.  Sorry, but I have a very hard time believing the Knight Commander has no right to order a search of mage quarters for signs of blood mages.  Especially when there was just a conspiracy foiled that featured several blood mages.

[LobselVith8]

lobi wrote...

Lord Aesir wrote...

Tell that to Ser Thrask's daughter (And Marethari wasn't even in Kirkwall, thus irrelevant to discussion)  the thin veil makes mages far more vulnerable than they are elsewhere.  Especially when they are backed into a corner and pushed to emotional extremes.  We know this can send a lone mage to the point where they become abominations spontaneously in Kirkwall, now multiply the effect for a few hundred mages terrified for their lives and I doubt even the First Enchanter was entirely safe.  All it would take would be for a mage or two to give in and start to unravel the veil and everything goes to hell fast.

The veil was torn in a ' Final vengeful strike' at Sundermount, so it is very relevent.
Thrask knew his daughter was at that warehouse, he said so himself. Why did he not act to have her rescued? What was he hiding beyond the fact she was Apostate?. Why did he tolerate Grace and blood magic? "What she was, what she had become" Apostates can keep their lives and join the circle, blood mages are not given the same latitude.

Thrask found her dead body at the warehouse. He acknowledges that he knew she was a mage. And his efforts in bringing together mages and templars was to bring down Meredith's dictatorship, and show that mages and templars could work together instead of one ruling over the other. Unfortunately, the developers didn't permit the protagonist to side with Thrask or stop Grace's plot induced stupidity and insanity as she murdered Thrask right in front of the Champion of Kirkwall.

[TheCreeper]

I think the Thrask/Grace scene needs a quicker pace, if Grace just killed Thrask in one quick motion before anyone could realistically react it would be much less annoying.

Modifié par TheCreeper, 26 octobre 2011 - 01:25 .

[TEWR]

hoorayforicecream wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

So if they don't fully agree with what Meredith is doing, why are they doing it in the first place? ****s and giggles?

If you mean Hawke's crew, the reasoning is pretty simple. There are more than enough templars to annul all of the mages. The annulment is mostly inevitable.

Not really. There are hundreds if not thousands of mages. All it would take would be a little manipulation of gravity inherent to the Kirkwall Circle of Magi and a fiery and electrical apocalyptic storm conjured up by many of the mages in the Gallows on the water between Kirkwall proper and the Docks of the Gallows to annihilate much of the Templar forces.

Then the mages had a perfect funnel where they could've tossed fireballs, Firestorms, Force Mage abilities, and Maker knows what else against the Templars.

That battle was winnable because the Mages were clearly superior. Templar magical abilities only work when they are in close proximity to the mage casting the spells.

but take them by surprise and attack from a clear distance and the Templars are worthless.

However, as we see after the Chantry explodes, Hawke and crew still need to fight their way through Lowtown and the Docks to get to the gallows. That's a lot of area for crazed mages and abominations to do damage. The mages are mostly doomed anyway; many of them are likely going to turn into abominations out of hopelessness or fear. Any of them could kill a lot of innocent people. So my first Hawke sided with the templars not out of any particular love for them, but to try to ensure the whole messy business was done as fast as possible with minimal collateral damage. It sucks for the mages, but given the choice between all mages dying and all mages plus a bunch of innocent civilians dying, my Hawke chose the former.

I can't side with the Templars not just due to their innocence in the act, but for a few other reasons:

• The RoA is about killing all mages, which will thin the Veil even further. Not going to help at all. Might actually make things worse.
• The RoA forces Hawke to kill everything in sight. The Mages only want freedom. Hawke isn't required to kill the Templars in that scenario. There are actually plenty of abilities for all classes that could help to keep the Templars off the backs of the mages
• Meredith is insane.

I had some others, but those are the only ones I can remember.

[Heimdall]

lobi wrote...

Lord Aesir wrote...

Tell that to Ser Thrask's daughter (And Marethari wasn't even in Kirkwall, thus irrelevant to discussion)  the thin veil makes mages far more vulnerable than they are elsewhere.  Especially when they are backed into a corner and pushed to emotional extremes.  We know this can send a lone mage to the point where they become abominations spontaneously in Kirkwall, now multiply the effect for a few hundred mages terrified for their lives and I doubt even the First Enchanter was entirely safe.  All it would take would be for a mage or two to give in and start to unravel the veil and everything goes to hell fast.

The veil was torn in a ' Final vengeful strike' at Sundermount, so it is very relevent.
Thrask knew his daughter was at that warehouse, he said so himself. Why did he not act to have her rescued? What was he hiding beyond the fact she was Apostate?. Why did he tolerate Grace and blood magic? "What she was, what she had become" Apostates can keep their lives and join the circle, blood mages are not given the same latitude.

Very irrelevent.  The veil was weakened by the rituals of the magisters and the layout of the city itself was designed to magnify the effects.  What may or may not have happened to sunder the veil on Sundermount is a differant issue than in a place like the Gallows which has been home to powerful emotions of cruelty, hate and terror for countless years.  Are you trying to assert that Thrask's daughter was a blood mage?  Find me some proof of that, there is none.  His daughter's death was what changed Thrask's veiw about apostates and mages, he says as much himself that he should have forced her into the Circle rather than allow her to seek freedom.  It was only with Meredith's excess that he began to change his tune.

Modifié par Lord Aesir, 26 octobre 2011 - 01:33 .

[LobselVith8]

The Creeper wrote...

I think the Thrask/Grace scene needs a quicker pace, if Grace just killed Thrask in one quick motion before anyone could realistically react it would be much less annoying.

Grace's reason for revenge against a pro-mage Hawke would remain as asinine. I think having the choice to side with Ser Thrask would have been a more interesting avenue. He was a good man, and I think his character had more story potential than dying in an absurd quest that ignores a pro-mage Hawke's public declaration against Meredith's dictatorship entirely.

[TEWR]

TJPags wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Her job is to protect the mages from the populus as well as the populus from the mages. But the mages were never a threat to the populus in this particular instance.

Her job is to work with the First Enchanter and not let her personal bias interfere with her duty.

On both counts she fails utterly because she lets the mob that she thinks will form -- which doesn't thanks to Aveline, the Champion, and the fact that we don't see anyone heading towards the Gallows aside from mages and Templars -- dictate her actions.

She fails in her duty because she wanted that Annulment.

But the thing is, Orsino is opposed to a search . . . not to Meredith leading or taking part in a search.

Sure, she's crazy by Act 3, and getting crazier . . . . but we all know she IS actually right about blood mages in the Gallows.

I have a hard time seeing Orsino's refusal as anything but self-interest after the revelations at the end of the game.  And before people say that's metagaming, which it is, his refusal strikes me as odd eve when made.  Innocent people should have nothing to fear from a search.

You cannot do that! You have no right! -- Orsino

Doesn't sound like he's opposed to the search. Sounds like he's opposed to Meredith calling for it.

Please Knight-Commander, I beg you. Call off the Right of Annulment. I'll let you search the tower. I'll even help you! But don't punish us all for an act we didn't commit! -- Orsino

That doesn't sound like a man who is interested in only himself. That doesn't sound like a Circle beyond saving. That sounds like a man who would gladly surrender to justice for being an academic blood mage.

The mages were innocent of that act. Were they entirely innocent? We don't really know. For all we know Hawke cleaned house and killed every blood mage in the Gallows. We only encounter one after the RoA is called for, but we don't know if she was always a blood mage or if the Templars threatening her life drove her to become a blood mage.

You mistake me, I think.

Your first point doesn't relate to this discussion, really.  Yes, part of her job is to protect mages from the people.  But another part of her job is to police the mages, and make sure they obey the law.  Those are not mutually exclusive.

We were talking about her role as Knight Commander and all of the duties that go with it. It's indeed relevant.

Again, she has no reason to suspect that the mages in the Gallows are blood mages. Only the Starkhaven mages were blood mages, and Thrask was the mastermind behind the rebellion. It died with him. He was the leader.

Her own Knight-Captain even questions the mages and Templars involved that weren't killed. There is no reason to assume that the rebellion is still alive when it died with its leader and everyone involved surrendered or was killed.

I'm fairly certain that even the game's journal cements this fact.

Your second point, you kind of look at backwards.  Sure, he capitulates to the search.  But it's really irrelevant.

No it isn't.

He first - before Anders blows the Chantry - opposes the search.  A search by the Knight Commander, when we know for a fact there are blood mages in the Circle at that time.  Sorry, but I have a very hard time believing the Knight Commander has no right to order a search of mage quarters for signs of blood mages.  Especially when there was just a conspiracy foiled that featured several blood mages.

He opposed Meredith being the one to call for it, being the one to lead the search, and everything. His quarrels are with Meredith. Not the Templar Order, not the Templars in her ranks, and not the Chantry.

It's Meredith he has a beef with.

As for the rebellion, see above.

[TheCreeper]

LobselVith8 wrote...

The Creeper wrote...

I think the Thrask/Grace scene needs a quicker pace, if Grace just killed Thrask in one quick motion before anyone could realistically react it would be much less annoying.

Grace's reason for revenge against a pro-mage Hawke would remain as asinine. I think having the choice to side with Ser Thrask would have been a more interesting avenue. He was a good man, and I think his character had more story potential than dying in an absurd quest that ignores a pro-mage Hawke's public declaration against Meredith's dictatorship entirely.

She was kinda completely insane by that point (she had a pride demon in her head for crying out loud) but yeah, Thrask surviving would be interesting.

[Xilizhra]

LobselVith8 wrote...

The Creeper wrote...

I think the Thrask/Grace scene needs a quicker pace, if Grace just killed Thrask in one quick motion before anyone could realistically react it would be much less annoying.

Grace's reason for revenge against a pro-mage Hawke would remain as asinine. I think having the choice to side with Ser Thrask would have been a more interesting avenue. He was a good man, and I think his character had more story potential than dying in an absurd quest that ignores a pro-mage Hawke's public declaration against Meredith's dictatorship entirely.

Grace is possessed, remember. It's not really her reason.

[TEWR]

Xilizhra wrote...

LobselVith8 wrote...

The Creeper wrote...

I think the Thrask/Grace scene needs a quicker pace, if Grace just killed Thrask in one quick motion before anyone could realistically react it would be much less annoying.

Grace's reason for revenge against a pro-mage Hawke would remain as asinine. I think having the choice to side with Ser Thrask would have been a more interesting avenue. He was a good man, and I think his character had more story potential than dying in an absurd quest that ignores a pro-mage Hawke's public declaration against Meredith's dictatorship entirely.

Grace is possessed, remember. It's not really her reason.

Grace became possessed during the battle from what I saw and not before it.

And her being a Pride Abomination makes no sense when she was talking about love, which is a facet of what a Desire Demon likes.

Also, anyone find it odd that Evelina can be both a Rage Abomination and a Desire Abomination at the same time? She transforms into a Rage Demon and then into a Desire Demon when I face her.

[Mr.House]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Xilizhra wrote...

LobselVith8 wrote...

The Creeper wrote...

I think the Thrask/Grace scene needs a quicker pace, if Grace just killed Thrask in one quick motion before anyone could realistically react it would be much less annoying.

Grace's reason for revenge against a pro-mage Hawke would remain as asinine. I think having the choice to side with Ser Thrask would have been a more interesting avenue. He was a good man, and I think his character had more story potential than dying in an absurd quest that ignores a pro-mage Hawke's public declaration against Meredith's dictatorship entirely.

Grace is possessed, remember. It's not really her reason.

Grace became possessed during the battle from what I saw and not before it.

And her being a Pride Abomination makes no sense when she was talking about love, which is a facet of what a Desire Demon likes.

Also, anyone find it odd that Evelina can be both a Rage Abomination and a Desire Abomination at the same time? She transforms into a Rage Demon and then into a Desire Demon when I face her.

Don't try to makle sense of it

[TheCreeper]

Even if she wasn't Possessed until afterwards I maintan Grace was completely out of her mind by that point, and yeah hawke did kill her lover so that was probably a big part of why she hated them.

[Mr.House]

TheCreeper wrote...

Even if she wasn't Possessed until afterwards I maintan Grace was completely out of her mind by that point, and yeah hawke did kill her lover so that was probably a big part of why she hated them.

Yet Hawke can let her leave. Boggles the mind.

[LobselVith8]

Xilizhra wrote...

Grace is possessed, remember. It's not really her reason.

Grace seems to be giving her reason for hating Hawke, which is ridiculous, and makes me wonder if the writers put any thought into her dialogue at all. Even speaking as a possessed mage, to say she wants revenge against Hawke for rescuing her is face-palm material. It makes no sense. I think the story suffers from mage antagonists who are stupid and insane, and Grace is one of them. As for the story, I hate that Thrask is killed. He was a templar who recognized that mages were people, and proposed an intriguing and revolutionary possibility of mages and templars working side by side. I think it's more interesting than the writers having everyone act like a complete moron. Why kill off Ser Thrask when he presents an alternative to Meredith's dictatorship? Even if the attempt failed, I would have preferred it to Orsino and Meredith going bananas.

[naledgeborn]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Also, anyone find it odd that Evelina can be both a Rage Abomination and a Desire Abomination at the same time? She transforms into a Rage Demon and then into a Desire Demon when I face her.

as well as Sloth/Shade. And yes very peculiar. Maybe she was already insane and was possessed by different aspects for each one of her psyches?

[TheCreeper]

Mr.House wrote...

TheCreeper wrote...

Even if she wasn't Possessed until afterwards I maintan Grace was completely out of her mind by that point, and yeah hawke did kill her lover so that was probably a big part of why she hated them.

Yet Hawke can let her leave. Boggles the mind.

She was less insane in act 1, insanity plus time to stew over things probably led to her developing a massive hatred of hawke

[Xilizhra]

LobselVith8 wrote...

Xilizhra wrote...

Grace is possessed, remember. It's not really her reason.

Grace seems to be giving her reason for hating Hawke, which is ridiculous, and makes me wonder if the writers put any thought into her dialogue at all. Even speaking as a possessed mage, to say she wants revenge against Hawke for rescuing her is face-palm material. It makes no sense. I think the story suffers from mage antagonists who are stupid and insane, and Grace is one of them. As for the story, I hate that Thrask is killed. He was a templar who recognized that mages were people, and proposed an intriguing and revolutionary possibility of mages and templars working side by side. I think it's more interesting than the writers having everyone act like a complete moron. Why kill off Ser Thrask when he presents an alternative to Meredith's dictatorship? Even if the attempt failed, I would have preferred it to Orsino and Meredith going bananas.

He died because he presented an alternative, because the final choice was supposed to be starkly divided by Anders.

[TEWR]

naledgeborn wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Also, anyone find it odd that Evelina can be both a Rage Abomination and a Desire Abomination at the same time? She transforms into a Rage Demon and then into a Desire Demon when I face her.

as well as Sloth/Shade. And yes very peculiar. Maybe she was already insane and was possessed by different aspects for each one of her psyches?

Yea I always thought a bunch of demons all went into her mental apartment at the same time and then said "Well I'm not leaving!"

Coming soon to Fox! The new hit series Mental Case!

Modifié par The Ethereal Writer Redux, 26 octobre 2011 - 01:51 .

[naledgeborn]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

I always thought a bunch of demons all went into her mental apartment at the same time and then said "Well I'm not leaving!"

Or that. Invite Isabela over it could've been one hell of a party.

[LobselVith8]

Except the choice is no longer about the dichotomy between mages and templars when the Knight-Commander wants to kill the entire Circle of Kirkwall for an act that Anders alone is responsible for, Xilizhra. It doesn't require Hawke to be motivated by any ideas about supporting or condemning the Chantry controlled Circles to see that Meredith is going to kill people who are innocent of the actions of one man, who she promptly handwaves despite his role in the destruction of the Chantry and the death of Grand Cleric Elthina.

That the story could have been different had Thrask lived, and that he was killed by a woman who thanked Hawke for protecting the Starkhaven mages and proceeded to give him a gift speaks volumes for the failure of the narrative. Her accusations in Act II that Hawke must have betrayed them doesn't diminish that she's merely another insane and stupid antagonist who I refuse to take seriously when her motivation is ludicrous. Thrask presented something that could have more realistically caused a change throughout Thedas than "inept templars fight inept mages, and then rebellions happen."

[Dave of Canada]

Meredith: Morning Orsino.
Orsino: Morning, tyrant.
Meredith: Woah, what's wrong with you?
Orsino: OPPRESSION.
Meredith: You must understand, I'm simply defending mages from their own stupidity.
Orsino: So you say, I'll go leave  the Circle and rally up the nobles and  trying to make them overthrow you.
Meredith: Stop this at once!
Orsino: No!
*later*
Orsino: You're not allowed to search the tower for signs of blood magic!
Meredith: Why? Afraid I'll find evidence  that you're a blood mage and might kill you?
Orsino: Ye- I mean no, you're not allowed!
Meredith: Yes, I am.
Orsino: You have no proof! You see blood mages where non exist!
*Meredith points to the Circle / Templar conspiracy filled with blood mages*
Orsino: That doesn't mean there's any blood mages in the Circle!
Meredith: Which is why I want to look, starting with you!
*reads papers*
Meredith: "Quentin's research on Harv-"
Orsino: You can't read that, there's no blood mages in this tower! Shoo, tyrant!
*later*
Meredith: How do I know you're not helping the rebellion or blood mages?
Orsino: You have to take my word for it.
Meredith: I'm going to look into your room.
Orsino: I TOLD YOU, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED.
Meredith: I'm doing it anyway!
Orsino: ELTHINNNAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*Orsino runs away*
*later*
Orsino: Don't look at my stuff!
Meredith: I can and will!
*Elthina dies, Right of Annulement is called*
Meredith: No!
Orsino: No, now she'll look through my stuff! D:
Meredith: I'm anulling you all.
Orsino: Please don't, I don't want to die!
Meredith: I will! Run off, Orsino!
Orsino: Nooo!
*Orsino runs off*
*Later*
Orsino: Please Meredith, don't kill me plz. I'll let you go through my stuff if you aren't going to kill me! I mean, you'll probably be more merciful than now because I have no chance of surviving this ordeal!
Meredith: No.
*Orsino runs off crying*
*later*
Orsino: You fool, I've been hiding blood magic from you all! Now you die!
Hawke: Really?
Meredith: Really.

[TJPags]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

TJPags wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Her job is to protect the mages from the populus as well as the populus from the mages. But the mages were never a threat to the populus in this particular instance.

Her job is to work with the First Enchanter and not let her personal bias interfere with her duty.

On both counts she fails utterly because she lets the mob that she thinks will form -- which doesn't thanks to Aveline, the Champion, and the fact that we don't see anyone heading towards the Gallows aside from mages and Templars -- dictate her actions.

She fails in her duty because she wanted that Annulment.

But the thing is, Orsino is opposed to a search . . . not to Meredith leading or taking part in a search.

Sure, she's crazy by Act 3, and getting crazier . . . . but we all know she IS actually right about blood mages in the Gallows.

I have a hard time seeing Orsino's refusal as anything but self-interest after the revelations at the end of the game.  And before people say that's metagaming, which it is, his refusal strikes me as odd eve when made.  Innocent people should have nothing to fear from a search.

You cannot do that! You have no right! -- Orsino

Doesn't sound like he's opposed to the search. Sounds like he's opposed to Meredith calling for it.

Please Knight-Commander, I beg you. Call off the Right of Annulment. I'll let you search the tower. I'll even help you! But don't punish us all for an act we didn't commit! -- Orsino

That doesn't sound like a man who is interested in only himself. That doesn't sound like a Circle beyond saving. That sounds like a man who would gladly surrender to justice for being an academic blood mage.

The mages were innocent of that act. Were they entirely innocent? We don't really know. For all we know Hawke cleaned house and killed every blood mage in the Gallows. We only encounter one after the RoA is called for, but we don't know if she was always a blood mage or if the Templars threatening her life drove her to become a blood mage.

You mistake me, I think.

Your first point doesn't relate to this discussion, really.  Yes, part of her job is to protect mages from the people.  But another part of her job is to police the mages, and make sure they obey the law.  Those are not mutually exclusive.

We were talking about her role as Knight Commander and all of the duties that go with it. It's indeed relevant.

Again, she has no reason to suspect that the mages in the Gallows are blood mages. Only the Starkhaven mages were blood mages, and Thrask was the mastermind behind the rebellion. It died with him. He was the leader.

Her own Knight-Captain even questions the mages and Templars involved that weren't killed. There is no reason to assume that the rebellion is still alive when it died with its leader and everyone involved surrendered or was killed.

I'm fairly certain that even the game's journal cements this fact.

Your second point, you kind of look at backwards.  Sure, he capitulates to the search.  But it's really irrelevant.

No it isn't.

He first - before Anders blows the Chantry - opposes the search.  A search by the Knight Commander, when we know for a fact there are blood mages in the Circle at that time.  Sorry, but I have a very hard time believing the Knight Commander has no right to order a search of mage quarters for signs of blood mages.  Especially when there was just a conspiracy foiled that featured several blood mages.

He opposed Meredith being the one to call for it, being the one to lead the search, and everything. His quarrels are with Meredith. Not the Templar Order, not the Templars in her ranks, and not the Chantry.

It's Meredith he has a beef with.

As for the rebellion, see above.

1.  So when does she have reason to suspect there might be blood mages?  Was Huon from Starkhaven?  He was a blood mage, no?  Emile claimed to be one, he wasn't from Starkhaven, was he?  Grace was from Starkhaven, and was a blood mage when she got there . . . and was never discovered.  Maybe because a thorough search wasn't done?

2.  He doesn't ever say "Let someone else search".  He doesn't ever suggest he is objecting only to Meredith.  He says "You cannot do that.  You have no right".  Do you really think the you is specifically Meredith?  That he's willingly accept a search by Cullen and 40 Templars chosen at random right then?  I don't.

2a - again, if the Knight Commander doesn't have that authority, who does?  Suggesting she doesn't - which is what he says - strikes me as beyond absurd.

Overall, though, I think once again, we'll have to agree to disagree.

[TJPags]

Dave of Canada wrote...

Meredith: Morning Orsino.
Orsino: Morning, tyrant.
Meredith: Woah, what's wrong with you?
Orsino: OPPRESSION.
Meredith: You must understand, I'm simply defending mages from their own stupidity.
Orsino: So you say, I'll go leave  the Circle and rally up the nobles and  trying to make them overthrow you.
Meredith: Stop this at once!
Orsino: No!
*later*
Orsino: You're not allowed to search the tower for signs of blood magic!
Meredith: Why? Afraid I'll find evidence  that you're a blood mage and might kill you?
Orsino: Ye- I mean no, you're not allowed!
Meredith: Yes, I am.
Orsino: You have no proof! You see blood mages where non exist!
*Meredith points to the Circle / Templar conspiracy filled with blood mages*
Orsino: That doesn't mean there's any blood mages in the Circle!
Meredith: Which is why I want to look, starting with you!
*reads papers*
Meredith: "Quentin's research on Harv-"
Orsino: You can't read that, there's no blood mages in this tower! Shoo, tyrant!
*later*
Meredith: How do I know you're not helping the rebellion or blood mages?
Orsino: You have to take my word for it.
Meredith: I'm going to look into your room.
Orsino: I TOLD YOU, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED.
Meredith: I'm doing it anyway!
Orsino: ELTHINNNAAAAAAAAAAAAA
*Orsino runs away*
*later*
Orsino: Don't look at my stuff!
Meredith: I can and will!
*Elthina dies, Right of Annulement is called*
Meredith: No!
Orsino: No, now she'll look through my stuff! D:
Meredith: I'm anulling you all.
Orsino: Please don't, I don't want to die!
Meredith: I will! Run off, Orsino!
Orsino: Nooo!
*Orsino runs off*
*Later*
Orsino: Please Meredith, don't kill me plz. I'll let you go through my stuff if you aren't going to kill me! I mean, you'll probably be more merciful than now because I have no chance of surviving this ordeal!
Meredith: No.
*Orsino runs off crying*
*later*
Orsino: You fool, I've been hiding blood magic from you all! Now you die!
Hawke: Really?
Meredith: Really.

I just literally lol'd.

Winner right here.