I addressed the Chantry controlled Circles because it's uncertain what the mages of the autonomous or dissolved Circles will do about the Rite of Tranquility now that they aren't beholden to the Chantry of Andraste and the Order of Templars; that's why I tried to address it as separate from when the Circles voted to emancipate themselves from the Chantry. I wasn't implying that my perception of tranquility would shift if the perpetrators of the Rite were different people.
Regardless of the tonal shift in the presentation of the Circles, I abhor the Rite of Tranquility, and I wouldn't endorse it's use by anyone.
I think that it depends on details regarding the rite itself. Chief among them being: which group invented the practice and the degree mages participate in the decision to enact it.
These points are important to be able to predict whether it'll continue because it'll both tell us what history it has and give us further insight to why it was instituted the way it was. For instance, the Right of Annulment is clearly a practise of templar origin. Regardless of it's purpose, it's clearly a mundane means to remove the threat (real or imagined) an out-of-control circle poses to society (in part or entirety). It's primary mechanism is force of arms and it's primary determinator is clearly outside of the circles.
The Rite is different, because it's a supernatural process and deals primarily with magical or meta-magical ability. It's stated purpose (which might not be it's true purpose) is to protect mages incapable of defending themselves against demons from needing to do so. This suggests it's a practise created by mages, both because it is supernatural in origin (and while the Templars have supernatural ability, they're not that knowledgeable about it) and because since mages handle their own education they are the only ones truly capable of doing any form of accurate predicition regarding their student's ability to resist a demon. This is supported given how stringly regulated it is according to Chantry law (you cannot tranquilize a harrowed mage, the First Enchanter and the KC both need to approve of it and so forth). It is not certain it is, but it's not terribly unlikely it is.
And if it is, then chances are many mages will want to keep the practise. Particularly among loyalists and Aequtarians. Because then the narrative of it's neccessity will be deeply ingrained into the mage community as well as the templar one. When Xil and I discussed this I suggested that a good litmus test would be if Tevinter is following this practise. If they are, then chances are the independent circles will as well. Regardless of how horrible the practise is.
I find it difficult to believe that the abuse of authority begins and ends in Kirkwall. If it can happen in Kirkwall it can happen in any of the other circles. That is the issue. That is the problem. Fereldan can be just like Kirkwall or even worse, all you need do is replace the KC with a Meredith. To fix this glaring flaw you would need the seekers to actually do their damned jobs, but I digress. Tranquility is disgusting and it will not stop being so simply because it's easy to excuse as 'necessary'.
I agree. I'd even go so far to say that it'd be downright naïve to assume that abuses only happens in rare occassion in Kirkwall. Most of the Templar order is not corrupt or abusing it's authority (beyond what abuses you may consider the system as it is to be). But it is going to happen at all but the most stringently controlled circles. The Templars are no more above corruption and abuse than say mages are. The Seekers are clearly failing in their duties in this regard.
Alrik and Kerras are rather infamous, and Meredith's failure to see their corruption is telling (though Alrik's letter tells us he was actively trying to hide what he did from her and even threatened his own men not to say a word about it). But Rylock is another example of a templar abusing her authority in a clearly illegal fashion, and she belongs to the far more liberal and less excessive Fereldan order and not Kirkwalls far more authoritarian one. That Kirkwall uses ser Roderick the drunk to check up on it's internal corruption is also very telling... and this on a matter Meredith would consider rather important. Sweeping the death of a mageling in the dungeons of White Spire under the rug is another damning bit.
The templar order is rife with problems and abuses that by no means stay at Kirkwall's border. I may be pro-templar, but I'd never ever pretend the order is somehow above this corruption.
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