858 réponses à ce sujet

[Patchwork]

I'd want to live with the dalish or the avvar/human clans, somewhere that I'll be trained to use magic but not hated and feared because of it. 

[Steelcan]

I'd want to live with the dalish or the avvar/human clans, somewhere that I'll be trained to use magic but not hated and feared because of it. 

mage freedom complete with crapping in the woods, being persecuted by sedentary human populations, and a food supply so tenuous its a miracle they don't starve to death!

[Patchwork]

mage freedom complete with crapping in the woods, being persecuted by sedentary human populations, and a food supply so tenuous its a miracle they don't starve to death!

 

I wouldn't mind living in the woods and no clan we've met has been starving. I'd take a survivalist lifestyle over a prison and being feared/hated for daring to exist any day. 

[The Baconer]

Of course, but being in the Circle doesn't have to preclude that.

 

#mortalitasi #lucrosian4life #imperialenchanter

[Br3admax]

I'd rather live the good life in a Circle, just as long as it's not corruptasfuck. I don't see the appeal of working until I die if I only manage to survive off said income. 

[Krypplingz]

If I were a mage would prefer to live in the circle. Three meals a day, education and a roof over my head sounds lovely. The circles are also made out of stone and there is magic to keep the place warm during winter, unlike the wooden hovels out in the country. And there are magic lights and a supply of clean water. And the fabric the robes are made of looks much nicer than the burlap the peasants are wearing. And did you see the soft, fluffy pillows in DAO mages quarters? OH and warm baths and soap. And easy access to healers and materials for herbal tonics. And so many books to read.  

 

Of course I would prefer living in a more liberal Circle, maybe one which gave permissions to leave for a short while if you behaved well and showed that you could control your talents. I wouldn't mind the templars too much (except maybe the Ser Alrik types) given that I have quite the temper. So having someone who could put me down if I finally went bat-guano insane would be a comforting thought.

Thinking back when I was younger my grandpa used to tease me a lot, which made me angry. Mom sometimes tells me with a smirk that he could make me so mad that I could barely speak. That memory would be a lot less funny if I had lit grandpa on fire. Or if I had electrocuted the dog instead of telling him to stop whining. Or crushed my dad to squishy paste when we argued. Or blew the cat up when it decided to attack my legs. _{(The examples are all fine today, none the wiser of the danger they faced if I had magic.)} The circle might even have put me through anger management, since my temper would be far more visible with flaming bolts of fire. 

 

As for having children. I'm not interested in having children (and I live in a country where child birth is reasonably safe and hygienic. And we have pain killers, blood donors, c-sections and therapy if things go wrong.)   and I could deal with only conversing with my family via letters if it kept me from brutally murdering them if I had a bad day. And not having to marry some man and have to give birth to three or more children (you'll need to have spares since yours will most likely be killed by demons, wolves, darkspawn, dragons, wyverns or the common cold) would seem like a bonus rather than a punishment. 

 

TL:DR If I was a mage in the Thedas, I would rather live in the circle than be free. 

[Bad King]

That would depend on what circle I was a part of e.g freedom without oversight would be better than Kirkwall's ultra-oppressive circle, but ideally, some form of protection and oversight would be desirable to keep me from being run through with a villager's pitchfork, possessed by a demon or slain by an abomination. It's why I like the ending in which the Bright Hand remain under the protection of the Inquisition.

 

mage freedom complete with crapping in the woods, being persecuted by sedentary human populations, and a food supply so tenuous its a miracle they don't starve to death!

 

Thedas has pretty large and rich forests that are untouched by large scale human settlement and agriculture; I imagine that game and various edible plants/fruits are plentiful in these areas. Whereas modern hunter-gatherers tend to live in marginal areas in which they are squeezed by national governments, the Dalish seem to thrive in areas where the human kingdoms have little reach.

 

I also imagine that their expertise in hunting and gathering various forest produce often makes them valuable trading partners for the settled humans, so various food products could be acquired from human settlements in return for some of these things (e.g furs, fruits, honey etc.).

[Char]

I don't think freedom in Thedas would be all that fun. Able to do whatever you want, sure. But with no support system, a family you havent seen since you were a child, no experience of outside life, and a general populace that are absolutely terrified of you?
It hardly seems worth it.

I'm all for an open circle system, myself. Teach mages what they need to protect themselves from possession. Have both templars and mages stationed to protect the locals from wayward magic from the untrained. Then when fully trained allow them to settle locally and live close to ordinary lives, with the circles as a place for community, shelter and education.

The circle system is flawed, but it provides a support network and protects the mages from themselves and pitchforking peasants. That aspect should be preserved, I thibk.

[Bad King]

I'm not a troll. I'm deadly serious.

 

[Uccio]

If I were a mage would prefer to live in the circle. Three meals a day, education and a roof over my head sounds lovely. The circles are also made out of stone and there is magic to keep the place warm during winter, unlike the wooden hovels out in the country. And there are magic lights and a supply of clean water. And the fabric the robes are made of looks much nicer than the burlap the peasants are wearing. And did you see the soft, fluffy pillows in DAO mages quarters? OH and warm baths and soap. And easy access to healers and materials for herbal tonics. And so many books to read.

Of course I would prefer living in a more liberal Circle, maybe one which gave permissions to leave for a short while if you behaved well and showed that you could control your talents. I wouldn't mind the templars too much (except maybe the Ser Alrik types) given that I have quite the temper. So having someone who could put me down if I finally went bat-guano insane would be a comforting thought.
Thinking back when I was younger my grandpa used to tease me a lot, which made me angry. Mom sometimes tells me with a smirk that he could make me so mad that I could barely speak. That memory would be a lot less funny if I had lit grandpa on fire. Or if I had electrocuted the dog instead of telling him to stop whining. Or crushed my dad to squishy paste when we argued. Or blew the cat up when it decided to attack my legs. _{(The examples are all fine today, none the wiser of the danger they faced if I had magic.)} The circle might even have put me through anger management, since my temper would be far more visible with flaming bolts of fire.

As for having children. I'm not interested in having children (and I live in a country where child birth is reasonably safe and hygienic. And we have pain killers, blood donors, c-sections and therapy if things go wrong.) and I could deal with only conversing with my family via letters if it kept me from brutally murdering them if I had a bad day. And not having to marry some man and have to give birth to three or more children (you'll need to have spares since yours will most likely be killed by demons, wolves, darkspawn, dragons, wyverns or the common cold) would seem like a bonus rather than a punishment.

TL:DR If I was a mage in the Thedas, I would rather live in the circle than be free.

It is all nice and dandy until some templar decides you are his next rape doll, and if you refuse you'll end up tranquiled.

[Shechinah]

(to Ukki) It can also be all nice and dandy outside the Circles until some bandit decides the same or inside the Circles it can also be all nice and dandy until some mage decides the same. The risk is present on the inside and the outside.

[Br3admax]

Thedas has pretty large and rich forests that are untouched by large scale human settlement and agriculture; I imagine that game and various edible plants/fruits are plentiful in these areas. Whereas modern hunter-gatherers tend to live in marginal areas in which they are squeezed by national governments, the Dalish seem to thrive in areas where the human kingdoms have little reach.

 

I also imagine that their expertise in hunting and gathering various forest produce often makes them valuable trading partners for the settled humans, so various food products could be acquired from human settlements in return for some of these things (e.g furs, fruits, honey etc.).

Lolwat You imagine wrong. 

 

I don't think you understand what hunting and gathering is like; even hundreds/thousands of years ago, it was survivable at best. 

[CathyMe]

It is all nice and dandy until some templar decides you are his next rape doll, and if you refuse you'll end up tranquiled.

 

 

(to Ukki) It can also be all nice and dandy outside the Circles until some bandit decides the same or inside the Circles it can also be all nice and dandy until some mage decides the same. The risk is present on the inside and the outside.

I doesn't even need to give such extreme examples, even though you are right. What about the non-andrastians? It may seem like a small sacrifice to pretened you worship their maker, but for some people (myself included) that frustration can build up over the years. That is the inherent problem with the circle and templars. They genuinely believe they have right of life and death over mages from their imaginary friend.

[Shechinah]

(to CathyMe) I'm terribly sorry if it seemed like I was taking sides, that was not my intent. I just wanted to point out that abuse, in this example rape, could occur regardless of whether or not someone lived inside or outside a Circle and that it would very likely not be perpertrated by only Templars should it occur in a Circle.

 

I can see why people would like to live in a Circle as much as I can see why other people would not. It is very interesting to read why some would and would not as well as the reasons they give.  

[Bad King]

Lolwat You imagine wrong. 

 

I don't think you understand what hunting and gathering is like; even hundreds/thousands of years ago, it was survivable at best. 

 

This is completely false. Whether hunting and gathering is a prosperous mode of production or not is dependent on the environment people are in. Many anthropologists have convincingly argued that prior to the spread of industrial scale agriculture, many hunter gatherer communities lived prosperously. Today, hunter-gatherers only live in areas in which agriculturalists haven't settled and these tend to be the least productive areas (plus, they tend to get squeezed by national governments).

 

If you are a small mobile community living in an area that's full of game and plant resources, it's easy to have plenty.

[CathyMe]

(to Shechinah) It's ok, I'm sorry if I seemed like I was lashing out at you, I know I can make that impression easily. It's nice to see people who try to listen to both sides

[Shechinah]

(to CathyMe) Nah, don't worry, it didn't. I just wanted to offer up some clarification because I could see why it might come across like I was.

[Master Warder Z_]

I doesn't even need to give such extreme examples, even though you are right. What about the non-andrastians? It may seem like a small sacrifice to pretened you worship their maker, but for some people (myself included) that frustration can build up over the years. That is the inherent problem with the circle and templars. They genuinely believe they have right of life and death over mages from their imaginary friend.

Winning gave them that right.

Beyond that according to Bioware it's a coin toss on the existence of the Maker.

So...heads or tails their imaginary friend may in actuality be very real.

[Addai]

(to CathyMe) I'm terribly sorry if it seemed like I was taking sides, that was not my intent. I just wanted to point out that abuse, in this example rape, could occur regardless of whether or not someone lived inside or outside a Circle and that it would very likely not be perpertrated by only Templars should it occur in a Circle.

 

I can see why people would like to live in a Circle as much as I can see why other people would not. It is very interesting to read why some would and would not as well as the reasons they give.  

True, but certain environments are more conducive. The power differential is completely lopsided in Circles- templars having all the power and mages virtually none. There's ideological cover for dehumanizing mages, and little to no accountability for abuses (witness Cole's abuser being told by his superiors that they would cover up his negligent murder of the boy). These things exist in white Andrastian society as a whole but in a prison situation, the mages have no recourse and no escape. Also once you're in the system, it would be very difficult to ever get out again. Your blood would be taken for a phylactery and you'll be known as a mage. I'd rather take my chances on freedom and a normal life as the Hawkes did.

[Master Warder Z_]

Bethany proved why that is a bad idea.

Her lack of knowledge got her in trouble several times.

Still...she's cute so I forgive her not knowing jack about demons or how to resist them beyond what Malcolm taught her.

[katerinafm]

That would depend on which Circle I was in, the conditions the mages were living in, and my magical ability. Realistically speaking, if my experience with the Circle was positive (like Vivienne and Wynne's for example), I wouldn't really want to go into war and most likely die.

[Lady Artifice]

It would depend entirely on the conditions the individual circle I lived in. 

 

I'm sure I would resent the Templars suspicion, and the bigotry, either way. I'm sure I would fantasize about life outside, and I'm even more sure I would resent them after the harrowing. But my reactions to Meredith's reign of terror would be significantly different from my reaction to a more reasonable system.  I would probably try to make the most of it, as opposed to trying to survive Thedas and the hordes of people who hate me for what I am. 

[JuGonzo]

What about this:

 

Live with the parents is like live in the Circle - there are amazing and confortable circles and very bad ones... But if you the the parents house, you will be free... but can you deal with it?

[Addai]

Bethany proved why that is a bad idea.

Her lack of knowledge got her in trouble several times.

Still...she's cute so I forgive her not knowing jack about demons or how to resist them beyond what Malcolm taught her.

Not sure what you're referring to, but IMO the Circle system creates more abominations and demonizations than it prevents.