I think not, or else he would have been killed by the templars after his first escape attempt as a full Circle mage. But then why would his phylactery have been in Denerim (see Freedom for Anders quest in Awakening) when all of the apprentices' phylacteries are stored at the Circle tower?
Thoughts?
He did go through his Harrowing, I'm fairly sure. That he wasn't killed by the Templars doesn't have anything to do with being Harrowed or not. The codex on him indicates that he always had First Enchanter Irving to thank for not being punished more harshly than he was (solitary confinement notwithstanding). I think it's more to do with Ferelden being more moderate and the templars under Gregoir simply being less prone to summary executions.
Anyway, you answered your own question. That his phylactery was in Denerim is proof enough that he was Harrowed, because otherwise it wouldn't have been.
Given his age, if he had never undergone his Harrowing, the templars would surely have forced Tranquility on him by now. It's literally the only get-out-of-your-Harrowing-free card that exists for Circle mages.
He flat out says he's Harrowed if you're a mage and ask him why the Templars didn't just make him Tranquil. As for why they didn't just kill him...I'd imagine that since he's not (openly) a maleficar, containment is preferred to execution, and presumably he surrendered whenever he was caught. Plus it's likely that the Templars, at least in Fereldan, aren't as evil and bloodthirsty as some consider them to be.
He flat out says he's Harrowed if you're a mage and ask him why the Templars didn't just make him Tranquil. As for why they didn't just kill him...I'd imagine that since he's not (openly) a maleficar, containment is preferred to execution, and presumably he surrendered whenever he was caught. Plus it's likely that the Templars, at least in Fereldan, aren't as evil and bloodthirsty as some consider them to be.
Oh, okay. I haven't done a mage playthrough yet. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
Yes, Anders had his harrowing, that was the reason they could not make him tranquil.
He flat out says he's Harrowed if you're a mage and ask him why the Templars didn't just make him Tranquil. As for why they didn't just kill him...I'd imagine that since he's not (openly) a maleficar, containment is preferred to execution, and presumably he surrendered whenever he was caught. Plus it's likely that the Templars, at least in Fereldan, aren't as evil and bloodthirsty as some consider them to be.
Good point. I'd tried to remember if he ever said anything, and forgot about that conversation.
Oh, okay. I haven't done a mage playthrough yet. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
I don't think you have to do a mage playthrough to access that dialogue.
Funny this topic should come up. I just read World of Thedas this week, and there's an anonymous journal entry in it found in Ferelden's circle tower in which a mage details their harrowing. It starts with a description of meeting with a demon who took the form of a giant cat, and then ended with an Anders-style rant about the evils of the Circle and the harrowing.
Since half the codex entries are written by former companions (or in the case of Blackwall's, future ones), I was thinking our "anonymous" journal-writer with the penchant for cats and rants about justice was Anders. If so, it's a first-hand account of his Harrowing 
Funny this topic should come up. I just read World of Thedas this week, and there's an anonymous journal entry in it found in Ferelden's circle tower in which a mage details their harrowing. It starts with a description of meeting with a demon who took the form of a giant cat, and then ended with an Anders-style rant about the evils of the Circle and the harrowing.
Yeah, I had that inkling as well.
Funny this topic should come up. I just read World of Thedas this week, and there's an anonymous journal entry in it found in Ferelden's circle tower in which a mage details their harrowing. It starts with a description of meeting with a demon who took the form of a giant cat, and then ended with an Anders-style rant about the evils of the Circle and the harrowing.
Since half the codex entries are written by former companions (or in the case of Blackwall's, future ones), I was thinking our "anonymous" journal-writer with the penchant for cats and rants about justice was Anders. If so, it's a first-hand account of his Harrowing
I need to go buy World of Thedas now.
I need to go buy World of Thedas now.
It's awesome. It's basically one giant Codex entry, a mix of old and new stuff. And it's got little codex entries as insets. And lots of pics - some old concept art we've seen before, but a lot of new stuff.
Going back to the original topic, I guess I assumed that the templars would be less likely to show leniency to a runaway Harrowed mage than to a runaway apprentice, just like how a minor might be forgiven for a "youthful indiscretion" while an adult committing the same act would be charged with a crime, but I see now that this doesn't really apply to mages--bad choices made by apprentices could be the work of a demon, while the same choices made by a Harrowed mage are just an exercise of free will (according to Chantry law, at least). I've been writing a story from Anders's point of view, and it seems to be coloring my thinking.
Going back to the original topic, I guess I assumed that the templars would be less likely to show leniency to a runaway Harrowed mage than to a runaway apprentice, just like how a minor might be forgiven for a "youthful indiscretion" while an adult committing the same act would be charged with a crime, but I see now that this doesn't really apply to mages--bad choices made by apprentices could be the work of a demon, while the same choices made by a Harrowed mage are just an exercise of free will (according to Chantry law, at least). I've been writing a story from Anders's point of view, and it seems to be coloring my thinking.
I think the Templars would be more concerned with a runaway apprentice, since they haven't been Harrowed yet, and don't necessarily have a solid grasp of their powers.
I hadn't even considered that. I was thinking from more of a level of punishment perspective.
See, this is why I ask you guys these questions!
I think not, or else he would have been killed by the templars after his first escape attempt as a full Circle mage. But then why would his phylactery have been in Denerim (see Freedom for Anders quest in Awakening) when all of the apprentices' phylacteries are stored at the Circle tower?
Thoughts?
He was Harrowed. The fact that he was kept him safe (at least in Ferelden) from being made tranquil. He was protected by Irving who thought he was a talented healer and meant no harm; that's why his punishments escalated up to a year's solitary confinement in the basement of Kinloch Hold. When Rylock threatens to have him hanged, he's conscripted and spared.
Given his age, if he had never undergone his Harrowing, the templars would surely have forced Tranquility on him by now. It's literally the only get-out-of-your-Harrowing-free card that exists for Circle mages.
Other than execution.
I think the Templars would be more concerned with a runaway apprentice, since they haven't been Harrowed yet, and don't necessarily have a solid grasp of their powers.
Moreso that an apprentice hasn't proven themselves strong enough to resist possession by a demon, and a Harrowed mage has.
When Rylock threatens to have him hanged, he's conscripted and spared.
Only if you choose to conscript him. Does anyone know what happens to him if you don't?
Other than execution.
Yes, thus the "or else he would have been killed by the templars" part of my question.
Only if you choose to conscript him. Does anyone know what happens to him if you don't?
If it weren't for the fact that he appears as a Warden in DA2, my answer would be something like this: "Rylock says she's going to hang him, and considering that her comrades let her completely blow off the rights of the Grey Wardens as pertain to what she can and can't do I can't imagine they would stop her." As it is, however, I can only imagine she tries to bring him to Kinloch Hold for a public execution, and he escapes either on the way or after Gregoir spares him due to the complete and utter lack of evidence against him apart from the circumstantial stuff. Shortly after escaping he is found by other Wardens and probably either gets conscripted or decides that he enjoyed playing the part of a Warden for as long as you allowed it.
As it is, however, I can only imagine she tries to bring him to Kinloch Hold for a public execution, and he escapes either on the way or after Gregoir spares him due to the complete and utter lack of evidence against him apart from the circumstantial stuff.
That brings me to another question, actually. When we first meet Rylock, she says "I will see you hanged for what you've done here, murderer!" But if she's only just arrived with Alistair (or whoever comes to the Vigil if Alistair is not king), then how does she even know that the templars who were escorting Anders are dead?
That brings me to another question, actually. When we first meet Rylock, she says "I will see you hanged for what you've done here, murderer!" But if she's only just arrived with Alistair (or whoever comes to the Vigil if Alistair is not king), then how does she even know that the templars who were escorting Anders are dead?
That brings me to another question, actually. When we first meet Rylock, she says "I will see you hanged for what you've done here, murderer!" But if she's only just arrived with Alistair (or whoever comes to the Vigil if Alistair is not king), then how does she even know that the templars who were escorting Anders are dead?
... that is a damn good question. I guess she must be assuming since they're not with him, and never mind the possibility that he'd just slipped away from them the way he seems to like doing where Templars are concerned.
That brings me to another question, actually. When we first meet Rylock, she says "I will see you hanged for what you've done here, murderer!" But if she's only just arrived with Alistair (or whoever comes to the Vigil if Alistair is not king), then how does she even know that the templars who were escorting Anders are dead?
I got the impression there was probably a short time lapse, maybe a day or two, between defeating the Withered, and Anorastair showing up, during which the bodies were cleaned up, a couple fences mended, etc. When word was sent out to Denerim of the attack, there was probably also a note of "oh, and there's the mage who might be a psychopath and miiiiiiiiiight have used the chaos as cover to murder his Templar handlers."
I got the impression there was probably a short time lapse, maybe a day or two, between defeating the Withered, and Anorastair showing up, during which the bodies were cleaned up, a couple fences mended, etc. When word was sent out to Denerim of the attack, there was probably also a note of "oh, and there's the mage who might be a psychopath and miiiiiiiiiight have used the chaos as cover to murder his Templar handlers."
There wasn't any timelapse long enough for that. Varel sees them coming on the road during the cutscene in which he is retrieved from the balcony floor while the Withered lies on the ground slowly approaching the ambient temperature.
There wasn't any timelapse long enough for that. Varel sees them coming on the road during the cutscene in which he is retrieved from the balcony floor while the Withered lies on the ground slowly approaching the ambient temperature.
Fair enough, seems I forgot about Varel mentioning that, then.
In that case, yeah, I think your explanation probably works best. Likely Rylock just assumed "it's the mage's fault!", though perhaps it's also possible that it isn't the first time Anders' Templar escorts ended up missing in mysterious and decidedly lethal circumstances, perhaps giving a little more potential plausability for Rylock than just "she's a Templar, so of course she hates the mage."
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