Dave of Canada wrote...
What we need to see in DA:I is that both sides consist of human beings, they've lived their lives and had their own childhoods and experiences which ultimately led them to the people which they are at that point.
Templar need to be seperated into two groups, those who've remained with the Divine and those who've left off to hunt with Lambert. Although the Lambert-faction is the "primary" faction, we can't dismiss the fact that the Divine holds much influence on the people.
Templar perspectives I'd like to see explored more with multiple characters:[*]Family Man: Someone who has personal ties as a reason to join the Templar Order, they wish to supervise and watch over their family. Regardless of their family being mage or mundane, they're in the Templar Order because they believe what they're trying to protect their family.
Example: Thrask.
[*]Worker: Someone who decided to join the Templar Order for the benefits, they might see their duty to the Chantry as being nice but they were far more interested in the education, training and salary provided by the Chantry. Their beliefs could range from thinking they're doing the right thing, loathing mages or what say you.
Example: Keran.
[*]Dutiful: Serving the Templar Order out of belief that they're doing the right thing, the dutiful serve the Templar to protect the mundanes and the mages believing that's their duty. They may agree with the Templar Order's principles and practices but may grow to question them when seeing them abused by others.
Example: Evangeline, Cullen.
[*]Zealot: Someone who takes the Chantry's teachings on mages too seriously, perhaps they've experienced the wrong side of magic or they were just naturally very supportive of the Chantry's teachings throughout their lives. Their zeal isn't necessairly wrong but can sometimes come off strong.
Example: Meredith.
[*]Addict: Originally someone who joined with intentions that were replaced as soon as lyrium engulfed their life, they might care very little about the conflict which they're involved in and serves whomever can satisfy their addiction.
Example: Samson.[/list]
Sub-conflicts:
- We need to see everyone of these personalities deal with their lack of lyrium and how it's influencing them, we can't just have "bad" Templar show symptoms. Perhaps the Family-oriented Templar starts hallucinating every dead mage as his son and cannot fight anymore, the addict kills his peer to take his lyrium, etc.
- We need to see some of the more devout question their position, breaking away from the Chantry was something which felt like Lambert was twisting the Knight-Commander's arms. A potential to explore and fracture the Templar forces with their divided loyalties could be great material.
- People questioning whether or not they're doing the right thing, how far they're willing to go to stop the mages (EX: killing a village suspected harboring apostates,) discussing what they hope to accomplish by the end of the war and whether or not they'll just exterminate or imprison the mages. Helps establish the thoughts of the people.
Meanwhile, we can't dismiss that mages themselves aren't completely insane and they've got people amongst their ranks as well, we need to see diverse origins amongst the mages and how those influence them. Although mages are different in the sense that despite their roots, they might've changed completely after being introduced to the Circle, such as Huon's established roots as a family man turning into a blood mage lunatic.
Being unable to make neat subsections for mages since they're so diverse (Chantry believers, Tevinter wannabes, etc) I'll just list the "big three" that I'd like to see:
[*]Reluctant: Mages aren't disciplined, they're simply superpowered people who've been locked away their entire lives and have little experience in the outside world. They've been dragged into a conflict which they might not want to take part in, not knowing whether they'll fight when the time comes or throw themselves at the mercy of the Templar.
Example: Pre-Final Battle Mages (Pro-Mage path, DA2), Surrendering Mages (Pro-Templar path, DA2)
[*]Vengeful: Perhaps they've always been sick and tired of the Circle and the Templar, perhaps these feelings only grew apparant after they were forced out of the Circle by the Templar overbearing on them after Kirkwall. Regardless, they're willing to make sure they remain independent and free.
Example: Anders, Fiona, Adrian, Rhys.
[*]Apostate: They don't care about mages or templar, maybe they just escaped because they'd die otherwise or they wanted to see their families again. Perhaps they're looking for a way out and can't find one, willing to turn on their peers if they'd somehow benefit and gain their freedom from it or waiting for the battle to start so they can slip away.
Example: Awakening Anders, Ella.[/list]
Sub-conflicts:- We need to see mages dealing with the blood magic issue, something which they've been warned about for all their years in the Circle and now they've got no big brother watching them to stop it. We need to see how far they'll push the boundaries, how anti-BM mages react to this and whether they'll develop into infighting.
- We'll also need to see how low mages are willing to go for the sake of freedom, they're fighting an army of disciplined anti-magic soldiers which have training in military warfare. Will mages be pushed to the brink and turn insane like Orsino? Will they start resorting to atrocities (EX: kidnapping villagers to sacrifice for blood magic) which would prove the Templar right?
- I'd love to see Fiona taking precautions and trying to discipline mages, perhaps turning to irony when she has too many deserters and having every mage give her blood to create phylacteries to stop them from running, etc.
Great post Dave. Agree 100%.
Personally I feel that the danger of magic has not been show well. DA2 went with making mages insane, but that is just bad and 1-dimensional.
It needs to be sublter and with more depth.
1) No spamming abominations to fight. Abominations should be powerfull. When a player kills it easily, how can he feel that locking mages up is varranted if he feels abominations are not a big deal? Fights with abominations should be the toughest ones in the game, usually requiring support from NPC's.
In other words, the lore/fluff/events should support the "abominations are REALLY dangerous and mages becoming abominations IS a big problem" premise better.
2) Blood magic. Accurate portrayl of it and how and why mages use it. Mages would start using blood magic a little...for a good cause, but it's a slippery slope.
It's hard to make the player experience mind control, since it would
involve taking away player control...but that's exactly what needs to
happen. Force the player to kill or almost kill someone, have templars rescue him.
The temptation of mind control - something that's easy to use, easy to hide and thus so tempting to use. You'd have a mage use if a little for godo causes. Convince a merchant to lower his prices for the villagers...scare off bullies...prevent an orphanage from being shut down, etc..But each use of it is an attack on another beings free will. Each use makes it easier and more natural to use it again. It almost becomes habitual, and the mage things less and less about using it.
And he starts using it for anything he deems important or usefull.
The woman/man he/she likes rejected him/her? Convince them otherwise.
Short on cash? Convince that merchant to give you stuff on discount.
Your wife cheated on you? "Convince" her to stab her lover to death.
Also might be a good idea to differentiate between subtle and devious mind control users, who nudge and "suggest" gently over a longer period of time to slowly get you to do what they want; and those that just immediately try to brute-force their way (usually novices).
The second should be easier to detect and in some ways easier to resist.
Retour en haut
mage letter? Addressed to no one BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THEIR FAMILY BECAUSE TEMPLARS TORE THEM AWAY.
