Yeah, I agree with you there Ian.
Perhaps, in the future a better solution or option to "manage" the Mages will come about. I know that the Chantry has always been the one in charge of managing the Mages through the Templars but that clearly has been a constantly declining method. The Chantry has it's good points, perhaps, the Chantry should be left to deal with Religion, they seem to be best at that.
Perhaps a different Order, NOT controlled by the Chantry should be made in charge of Mages. An Order like the Wardens, they are allowed to recruit and their sole purpose is supposed to be ending Blights and killing Darkspawn and Archdemons. In the LONG history of the Grey Warden Order, there have been very very few cases when the Wardens went outside their calling and got themselves involved in something they were not meant to, politics and the such. That's a very long history of the Order successfully sticking to its main calling. They are in essence beholden to none, they aren't under anyone's control and for the most part take care and caution when using the right of conscription.
Now, of course, the Grey Warden Order is well... much different than say an Order built to manage Mages. Two very different causes. But, if an order could be built, with specific boundaries and standards as to how to manage Mages, what's acceptable for them to do in case Mages go... bad and consequences should anyone in the Order go too far and abuse innocent Mages well... perhaps an Order like that could work better.
That being said though, this whole thing with Mages needs to be rethought and redone. I don't really think forcing Mages into a Circle and keeping them there for life and belittling them is the right course of action either. Having children torn from their families at such a tender age to most likely hardly ever see them again is...unnatural and too drastic. I do think Mages should be allowed more freedoms.
Perhaps, Mage children could be allowed to remain with their families, and Magic schools could be started in major cities and what not, so as to train young Mages to control their power, how not to prey to Demons and the like. Circles could be instead of prisons (cuz lets face it, that's what they really are) they could be sort of Schools of higher learning, open to those mages that willingly chose to attend higher education in magic.
Perhaps, for the sake of being on the safe side, Phylacteries should still be required of every Mage. In case they ever turn bad, they can in fact be hunted down by this means. There would be a set of rules/laws in this regard of course. While I'm no fan of Blood Magic or consorting with Demons, I'm not sure a death penalty should be the first and only option to every Mage that goes this way.
I'm not a fan of the right of tranquility either, but perhaps, it could be an alternative to say a death penalty. To be chosen freely by the mage that was sentenced, death or become Tranquil. Though I am not sure who in their right mind would choose to become Tranquil. Some may think it a better option than being killed altogether.
Whether we like it or not, Magic itself is neither good or bad. Its what people chose do do with it that determines it being good or bad. Like with most any other things in life Magic has good and bad to it. I'd like to believe that if given the right education, love, family and support the majority of Mages would end up good instead of bad. There will always be those that turn out bad unfortunately, and its for that reason that 100% Mage freedom is probably not wise. But I do think there can be a middle ground. Where Mages can be allowed to chose where to live, where to study, to remain with their families and what not.
However, I'm not sure that the Chantry is the best option for managing Mages. They have centuries of failing at it. They should stick to religion and leave Mage management to others.
That aside, does it make me a bad person that i sort of LIKE the Qunari? 
Retour en haut
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Never said I wanted to be atheist... al haliu lilith f'tangh 'fganth Chtulu! Hail Eris
