dragonflight288 wrote...
I'm pretty sure that what I'm about to do is on topic in this thread because it started out as a manifesto. It'll be a mental exercise to look at the issue from two differing perspectives.
This'll be a manifesto from the perspective of my first two playthroughs. Daylen Amell, a mage who practiced the school of spirit extensively, and became an Arcane Warrior. He's kind of a cross between Lucrosian and Libertarian, but mostly Lucrosian. And one written by Thorin Aeducan, (my avatar) the Dwarven Noble who left Orzammar as a staunch traditionalist and took an outsider's point of view from a society that never feared magic unless it came from an emissary attacking them in the darkspawn. His view changed more than he would like to admit while on the surface, but is coming at the issue with fresh eyes.
Magic exists to Serve Man, and never to rule over him!
These were the first words Knight-Commander Gregoire spoke to me when I was taken to my Harrowing. Our magic is a gift, but also a curse. Through magic, we mages can do as much as any non-mage, or mundane as some of my peers have called them. And in many ways, we can do much more. But we live in constant danger, not only from the threats from the Fade but also from our own power. I myself saw a mage practice his fire spells, only to set himself alight when learning he could injure himself. His mentor had to douse him and encouraged the use of flint and tinder instead. Enchanter Wynne herself told me that before attending the Circle, she had lit a boy's head on fire as he was bullying her.
Naturally it is apparent that all mages everywhere need a place to study magic and learn to control their own power.
The College of Magi have only recently declared themselves independent, and while I was occupied at the time of the events, the afteraffects are very real everywhere in the world. I never thought I would see the day when templars would leave enmasse from the Chantry over an ideology difference and where mages exist in the world. But as it stands now, there is no going back to the way things were. Not without a lot of bloodshed.
As a Warden, I have seen templars such as Ser Rylock ignore their duty to their country and disregard ancient treaties made with the Grey Wardens and our right to conscript. And failing to take our mages away, try to strong-arm their own into our ranks so they could do their job as templars within the Grey Warden's ranks. I made it a rule after Anders' left that templar recruits are welcome within the order, but any Templar who has made his vows and become addicted to lyrium will be shown the door. Anyone who joins the Wardens will face the Darkspawn.
In the words of Warden-Commander Duncan, Maker bless his soul: Chantry business is not ours.
What should be my first and only priority is dealing with the
darkspawn may have to be placed into storage if the Templars or Seekers,
well, seek to interfere with Warden business again, then we as Wardens must do whatever is necessary to make sure that our business is never interfered with again.
However, as a mage, my hands may be forced by this war, and so I have written this for all nations of Thedas to read. The Circles of Magi are no longer under the jurisdiction of the Chantry, so all the rulers should just get used to treating the mages as their own entity and organization from this point forward. I also give you warning, if you seek mages to serve as healers in your army, or even mages to be in your army, or to serve as Enchanters, then you must commit to keeping them safe. The Templars and the Seekers will not leave any mage live in peace. The Nevarran Accord has been declared to be void, and so we know the templars and the Seekers may once again reform as the inquisition of old.
Magic exists to serve man, but I ask how can it serve man when the mage's head is on a pike? How can mages in the Wardens serve man by fighting the darkspawn of we cannot do our jobs in peace? How can healers serve man if they are killed for being what they are?
To the mages, now, more than ever, we must live up to the words of my mentor, the First Enchanter Irving. "We must prove we are strong enough to handle our maker-given power!" We now have our independence from the Chantry, but if we cannot prove we are capable of handling our independence, all we will accomplish is justifying the Circle's we just left. You must find a way to train young mages how to control their power, and to protect yourselves from the dangers of the Fade.
As a Spirit Mage, I understand that through constantly studying the Fade and tapping into its power that we ourselves can do what the templars themselves have done. Through the school of spirit, we can disrupt spells, drain mana, and even negate its effects entirely far more effectively than the templars themselves are capable of. But the school of spirit draws its power from the fade directly, and is etheral in nature. This in turn may draw the attention of spirits in the Fade, so it remains essential that we train warriors in the arts of the templars so that they may assist.
We all know that we must be able to punish our own who break crimes, so let us look to the Aequitarians, the Libertarians, and even the Loyalists, and come up with a set code of conduct and laws that we as mages must adhere to, including a set punishment for crimes. Tranquility has been proven curable, but is it justifiable to be used on a blood mage who used their mind dominating powers to remove the free-will of others? Is it justifiable to use on apprentices who show they cannot resist the allure of a demon? And how can we tell if an apprentice can or cannot resist?
We must also look at supplies. The chantry controls the lyrium trade, and we need lyrium to augment our powers, or to be used in essential magical research. Should we lose lyrium, our only other option is blood magic. Do we want to be known throughout the world as blood mages the very moment we turn from the Chantry? We have declared our independence, so we need a supply of lyrium. Do we make a deal with Divine Justinia, do we raid chantry storehouses, or do we trade goods and services to Orzammar in exchange for lyrium? We also have no country, we don't have land or resources, so we need also attend to finding a home where we can live.
We mages are free, but we must now show we have earned it, and are responsible with our power. Magic exists to serve man. As my family have said, our magic should serve what is best in us, not what is base.
I am the Warden-Commander of Ferelden, and I will continue to serve in that capacity to the best of my ability. But to all mages, you must find a way to show your control over your power and that you can be trusted with your freedom. If you don't, you will only justify the chantry's view of us. You must move forward, but you must do so sensibly and without hesitation. The templars will not wait for you.
Daylen Amell
Hero of Ferelden, Warden-Commander.
****
Surfacers have their brains addled by that globe of fire in the Sky. They should all just fall into it.
The first time I came to the surface with the Wardens, I had to be dragged in a cart because I couldn't stand to be out in the open while on the surface. I might have fallen into it. I still cannot get over the queasy feeling that comes with stepping out of doors. I need a roof over my head, or better still, return to Orzammar.
But only one thing has terrified me more than the stone-forsaken sky! And that was an abomination. Surfacers go to a dream-world every night, and their dreams are created and shaped by spirits and demons, or so I've been told. We dwarves resist magic, thank the Ancestors, but before becoming a Warden, I never knew what a dream was! We sleep like the stone! But I have been to the Fade. Twice. I have seen how terrible the spirits who rule there are.
It's hard to explain, but my friend Dalyen told me that in the Fade, everything that exists is nothing more than the expression of a thought. You aren't really there, you only think you are. Your body is still on the ground. You only look the way you do because you think you do. There's a chair sitting there because a demon or spirit willed it into being, or because you yourself think a chair should go there. Your own will is all that is real, and even it can be destroyed. Should you be consumed in the Fade, it's exactly the same as your will being devoured by a demon and they take possession of your body.
How all surfacers don't make deals with these demons in their dreams each night, dreaming of the future, of past regrets, or even of things they wish they have but cannot attain, I will never know. I was told that a mages power naturally draws a demon, but demons also possess trees. I conversed with an oak tree that rhymed, if the people of Orzammar can imagine THAT, but it's true. I've seen non-mages possessed by these foul creatures the same as any mage. It's arguable I've personally seen more non-mages possessed than mages. Trees, the dead, Shade's who actually don't possess anything, again according to Daylen, a wolf that in turn created werewolves. I've seen templars, men and women who fight mages, also get enthralled by the demons. I've seen a powerful Warden-Commander who wasn't a mage get possessed by a demon when the veil was torn, and then lived for centuries.
Should I ever encounter a spirit or demon outside the Fade, the thing to do is kill it as quickly as possible. I've never personally seen a possessed dwarf, and by the ancestors I don't want to be the first!
I have received a letter from King Alistair explaining the templars have left the chantry and are now hunting mages openly. The templars are dependent on Lyrium, and the mages themselves also require lyrium, so I must look to the protection of the surface dwarves and members of the merchant caste who handle trade. I expect they'll both come to Orzammar with expectations of support. I also expect they'll both become even more desperate for lyrium if the war extends itself.
Desperate enough to maybe attack Orzammar.
I no intention of allowing any dwarf experience the horror an abomination can unleash. Neither do I want the surfacers put at risk of bringing their surfacer ideas here. I may just close the doors of Orzammar entirely if their demands grow unreasonable. But we need the trade with the surface, and we need aid with the darkspawn.
If they want our lyrium, they can come earn it in the Deep Roads. If they do not want that, then they can have their surface problems stay on the surface.
We in Orzammar want nothing to do with magic, the templars Maker who abandoned them twice, or any of the problems that come with it.
The Fade is a realm best left untouched. As the only ones not connected, it is best if we stay as far away as we possibly can.
Thorin Aedeucan
Paragon, Warden-Commander of Orzammar.
Two different views as close to the perspective of two wardens in the way I roleplayed their personalities. I hope this is considered to be remaining on topic and also encourages more discussion.
I thought that was very well-written, Dragonflight! Two interesting and different perspectives from a mage and a dwarven Warden.
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