Poll: Dragon Age: Templar-Mage War.

[Mycroft Holmes]

But the Templars, from my angle, are just nazi assholes who take every chance they can to control and bully the Mages into submission, unnecessarily so because of old legends no one is sure about.

To be fair

Spoiler

Hawke and presumably her companions know pretty much for certain that that legend is true. You run into one of the magisters of Tevinter named Corypheus who is now a super confused final boss to the DA2 Legacy DLC. Among other things Corypheus pretty much proves the myth of the black city, speaking about how he went there, and how the city was supposed to be golden.

Not that the Templar actually know that to be true, they are pretty much just assholes. And even if its true who gives a shit what they did? That's like if we locked up all chemists because some atoms were used to create an atomic bomb.

Aveline: You show admirable restraint, Bethany.
Bethany: For a mage, you mean.
Aveline: I could also say, "for a Hawke," but yes, for a mage.
Bethany: You have a sword. Why aren't you killing someone right now?

 

[Bat Vader]

I am kind of hoping it won't force us to choose. If possible I want to try and convince the Mages and Templars to work together. If that isn't an option than I would turn my back on them and let them slaughter each other.

 

[Tradjus]

After DA 2, I'd have too say neither.
My ball was firmly in the Mage's court during DA 1, they just wanted their freedom and were led astray because of that, which made me sympathize with them. But after DA 2, they've just proven that everything the Templars say is true. I mean, sure, the guy had his back too a wall, but to do what he did? It's just ridiculous, seeing as how my entire party was ready too fight too the death to defend him and the other mages. But no, he caved, he gave in, and made me feel like an idiot for helping him. Not going too let myself make that mistake again.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Well I'm possibly skewed being an Elf Mage in the first and a Mage Hawke in the second... But the Templars, from my angle, are just nazi assholes who take every chance they can to control and bully the Mages into submission, unnecessarily so because of old legends no one is sure about. The discipline the Mages practice is important because of the Demons but there would very likely be way less incidents and problems if the Templars would let them organize themselves and just helped them instead of trying and effectively controlling them.

It's a little more complex then that.

The ancient Tevinter Imperium was run by mages who really did do some of the things people accuse mages of doing, namely blood magic, demon summoning, human sacrifice, and destroying the elves homeland (the first one they had, not the Dales). Basicly they went wild with their powers and oppressed everyone else.

After the founding of the Chantry the roles were reversed with everyone else oppressing the mages.

The moral I take from this is that Humans are dicks and put a group of them in charge over another and you will get oppression and the abuse of power occurring.

As far as politics went the Aequitarians and Isolationists were pretty good.

 

[VeneratedWulfen93]

Like it or not the Templars are needed. If an apostate does escape a normal soldier couldn't hunt them down. Mages are simply too big a threat to be unguarded. Not say we should take the qun'ari route though. I despise mages because of Anders however, blowing up a Chantry is too far. He cannot claim to be the victim anymore after doing that.

A comprimise would be best, like what did in Origins. Both the Templars and Mages were all chill with eachother. Mages need to stop being little bitches and accept that they are dangerous to society and Templars should make life easier for mages by not being Nazis, granted the only reason they act like that is because Meredith is commanding them in 2.

I voted Templars if you didn't guess. Anders and every other mage who attacks a Chantry should be burned on the spot.

 

[Brainwreck]

Just let the Qunari steamroll everyone.
It's pretty much inevitable, they have serious technological superiority. Mages can only do so much against them.

 

[Gunjester]

I said neither, it would be a case-by-case basis.
I don't believe that mages should have all the same freedoms everyone else should, because they are a completely different circumstance, but I don't believe every single one should be locked up.

Here's how I see it, a one who becomes a mage passes the Harrowing, but that doesn't make them trustworthy against dark magics, more that they're trustworthy with defending themselves and controlling their own spells. But there's another test to become an Enchanter, I'd argue that mage-school is compulsary, Apprentices and Mages both need to live on the Circle grounds, but know their family and can see them, and then if they pass the test to become an Enchanter they can choose to leave or stay, if they leave, they're registered and still have a phylactery if they ever break any laws.

Only those who can't pass the Harrowing can be made Tranquil.

 

[viranimus]

For m e, it would be neither. If anything proactively involve in order to perpetuate the conflict so both sides annihilate each other leaving the way open for societal change.... to bow to my will.

Its the only reason these virtual people exist is to service my entertainment. Their own meaningless tripe only gets in the way of them fulfilling the purpose of their existence. Let these people serve meaningful and fulfilled lives... underneath the heel of my boot.

 

[Tahaneira]

If I can't negotiate some kind of compromise, and if nothing new is revealed, then I'll still side with the mages. There does need to be some system for keeping track of them in case they go rogue, but they don't deserve to be rounded up, forced into seclusion, and treated like they owe their lives only to technicalities, otherwise they'd already be slaughtered. No one deserves that.

 

[Saviordd1]

If we were basing this on DA1? Mages.

But since we have to deal with DA2 lore most certainly the Templars since it seems every other god damned mage is a blood mage or abomination.

 

[Zyntoxic]

I think the games does a bad job of showing the templar's side (or the chantry's side to be more exact),while if you read the book Asunder you understand the politics behind it all much better.

thing is that templars are getting more and more oppressiv and mages are pushing their oppressors back, as the game tried to explain is that templars keep pushing out of fear while mages do forbidden arts out of desperation, the Chantry actually sided with the mages after the incident in kirkwall and then steped in and told the templars to cut it but there is a faction with in the faction called seekers, they are of the fanatic sort that believe that mages in the end never can control their powers, they have more authority over the templars than the Chantry it self even though they are supposed to be one and the same.

after Asunder and in the end of Dragon age II templars are pretty much devided into two faction, those loyal to the Chantry or those loyal to the Lord Seeker.


a quote from the end of the book Asunder:

Spoiler

here is a quote from the book after the destruction of the Circle of Magi in Val Royeaux:

"Most Holy,
The Seekers are well aware of the part you played in the
rebellion. You call me to the Grand Chathedral in the middle
of the night on "urgent" bussiness only to speak of trivial
matters? And then, when I return to the White spire,I
deiscover chaos... and one of your agents in the midst of the
apostates.
Did you think I would not notice? Did you belive
yourself above reperucussions of such acts? It was a dark day
when the Chantry placed such an incapable woman upon
the Sunburst Throne. I will not stand idle and watch you
destroy what ages of tradition and righteousness have built.
In the twentieth year of the Divine Age, the Nevarran
Accord was signed. The Seekers of Truth lowered our banner
and agreed to serve as the Chantry's right hand, and
together we created the Circle of Magi. With the Circle no
more, I hereby declare the Accord null and void. Neither the
Seekers of Truth nor the Templar Order recognize Chantry
authority, and instead we will preform the Maker's work
as it was meant to be done, as we see fit.
signed on this day the fortieth year of the Dragon Age,
Lord Seeker Lambert van Reeves"

this is what split the templars in two, alot of the Templars still support the Chantry, for example Cassandra who is also a Seeker.

so it is not only templars against mages, it is templars againts mages, templars against them selves, templars against the chantry, the chantry against the mages, mages against them selves.

so faction choosing got a bit more difficult as it is right now.

 

[The Heik]

Speaking as someone who only plays a mage? Neither. Templars are overworked, junkie zealots who fear knowledge of all kind. Mages, as per the DA2 standard, are time-bombs of blood magic who are only studying what they are because they have no choice or to be able to unleash fireballs on people who oppressed them.

Just kill them all and start again.

.......Well that was dark.

I mean Kirkwall was a bit of a crapsack location with all the zeal and bigotry (and infinitely spawning brigands raeg arblgarbl), but going for the history eraser button seems like a bit of an overreaction to the ordeal. I mean Varric Tethras is part of that world

And would you really want to get rid of such a jovial and likeable fellow WHO HAS A FOUR-STRING PUMP ACTION BAYONET CROSSBOW?!?!?!

OT: I personally would side with the mages, mostly because I am not of the belief that simply having power does not make you inherently evil and dangerous. Magic is a tool just like a sword or bow. If wielded improperly it can cause damage and destruction, but if one knows how to use it and when to use it, its no more scary than the knife you use to cut a loaf of bread.

The thing that gets on my chips though is that the Templars seem to just got for the "kill them off" option a bit too fast just because of that "possible threat" whilst oblivious to their own power ie swords, shields, legions to fanatic soldiers, and magic suppresssion, which while less flashy than the mage throwing fireballs, is equally dangerous and often more practical.

Besides, of course mages are going to freak out if they get as over-stressed (read: tormented by Templars) as they were in DA2. You poke a bear in the eye enough times and eventually it will, with all reasonable justification, maul your ass. Solution? DON"T POKE THE BEAR IN THE EYE!!!!

Also they made a fairly egregious error in not studying how the possession works (at least to my knowledge). Yes I know it's a bit dangerous trying to analyze a demons trying to ensnare you or rip your head off, but even a low level study of the link between a mage and the Fade might yield results into how one might potentially reduce or even prevent the dangers of possession whilst still being able to use magical powers

But I guess wanting a bit of scientific process would be asking a bit too much from those fanatics.

 

[Kiatta]

Neither! Largely neutral, snarky, opportunistic rogues unite!

Seriously though, I'll probably play a billion different characters with varying degrees of loyalty or care for either side.