IanPolaris wrote...
I dispute your characterisation of the Dalish society both Modern and the Kingdom of the Dales. There are multiple ways to interpret it. One thing I can tell you for certain is that the Dalish are emphatically not a mageocracy. The other thing I can say is that the Dalish willingly choose this system (something that can't really be said of Tevinter given it's slavery). Here's a hint: Magic isn't necessarily the most important thing when it comes to Dalish soceity and the evidence shows that it's actually not all that important overall.
If the leaders of the Dalish clans are mages; which we have been specifically told is the norm; then the Dalish are, indisputably so, a magocracy. The fact elves have been indocrinated to the point where they accept this system is irrelevant to its existence.
The point about Haven is that I have shown at least one society where mages and mundanes live alongside each other peacefully and it isn't run by mages (no matter how you stretch it). That proves that it's not an invariable rule that all societies that allow for mage participation in society must be ruled by mages. Thus your claim has been DISPROVEN.
Haven is not a society. It's a small village in the middle of nowhere where everyone is likely related to everyone else. It's not acceptable as an example.
And even if it were, they live by cultural standards not replicable in larger societies. Exception to the rule, that is all.
Hardly. There are many ways to view each of the non-Andrastaian societies. You choose to look at them entirely with the mage-Tevinter premise. That isn't an honeset or unbiased analysis.
In this matter, Tevinter is relevant only as far as Tevinter is concerned. My point was always that mage freedom will lead to a cultural and societal bias in favor of mages which is the case everywere; Tevinter, Rivain, Dalish, Chasind.
The way through which it manifests is, once again, irrelevant. The Dalish may be a benevolent oligarchy but that doesn't change the fact that it's a magocracy.
You have yet to prove that,
I daresay that if I were to ask a random forumite whether it is a coincidence that all Keepers and Magisters are mages or whether this means magic is a determinant factor when choosing an head of state, s/he would agree with me.
But of course, if you are the one to decide whether I've proven something or not, I also daresay the judgement will not be impartial.
and the italicized part of your statment is demonstrably UNTRUE for the Dalish. We see many Dalish mages (esp in Zathrien's clan) that are mages but are relatively unimportant.
Not true. The mages in Zathrian's clan are all in important positions whether it be Keeper of the Halla or First.
Also, mages are enslaved in Tevinter despite magic controlling every aspect of its infrastructure. The supposedly unimportance of a few members of the group in charge doesn't mean said group is not, in fact, in charge.
Likewise we see many mundanes in the Dalish clans that hold very important leadership positions.
Leadership positions that become instantaneously irrelevant if the Keeper has different ideas given the fact the dalish live under an authoritarian system where the supreme power rests with the Keeper.
And this is easily observable when we realize Keepers serve for life and there is no system in place to override their decisions beyond simply abandoning the clan.
Oh can you please kill me so that I can be a martyr?
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