Poll: Dragon Age: Templar-Mage War.

[el_kabong]

I have to side with mages. I think that both sides have their assholes that are willing to stomp on the other side and don't really care which innocent people get in the way.

However, templars are captors and jailors. They enforce martial law on all mages for the "greater good". Mages are prisoners whether they're guilty of anything or not. To damn someone to imprisonment just because of their birthright is pretty much just running parallel to any of the racially motivated genocides/enslavements that have occurred in our own world.

Because I'm a man who believes in human rights, accountability of individuals, and freedom in general, I can't reasonably support what the templars do. That doesn't make mage-terrorists like Anders in the right either, but an individual templar, at best, can be a sympathetic warden. Whether they directly mistreat the mages or not doesn't preclude the fact that they are enforcing policies that take away freedom from innocent people.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I voted neither because, by this point, neither side is in the right anymore. Neither side is willing to compromise, neither side is willing to listen, neither side is willing to admit that the other side raises some very valid points. Both sides are now out for blood and do not care about anyone but their own kind. "Oh, you're helping the Templars? BURN!" says the mage to the villager who gave a Templar a glass of water. "Oh, you're helping the mages? Stabby!" says the Templar to the villager who gave a mage a piece of bread. Lock them all away on a island and let them kill each other off.

If pressed, if forced to choose for the sake of the universe, I'd side with the Templars. Yes, the mages have it bad. Yes, a good deal of Templars are abusing their position. However, mages are feared across Thedas, and for good reason. These are people who can murder entire villages if they feel like it, can control people against their will, and can become something even worse than a corrupted mage. These people need to be watched and kept track of. They are simply too dangerous to the general population of Thedas to be left alone. Just look at Tevintar (or however you spell it). That place is a nightmare for anyone who's not a mage.
Now, are there better ways to watch the mages? Can the Templars ease up? Can we get rid of some of the more...insane regulations regarding mages (seriously, they can't go out for a walk? Come on)? Yes. We've seen that mages and Templars can work together many times, the strongest case being in Dragon Age 2 when both sides agreed that the Knight Commander was out of control. Sadly, I don't think any of that is possible now until a LOT of blood has been spilled--or an even greater threat comes along, which is what I'm hoping for.

 

[Terrible Opinions]

The Qunari had the right idea in DA2. Burn this ************ to the ground.

 

[Joccaren]

Will depend on how they're presented in game, but judging from DA2, neither.
In DA2 the mages were hypocritical. "Save use we're being oppressed!", gets saved, goes out and causes problems with blood magic. Hell, even the head mage, when I decided to defend him and my sister against the Templars, turned himself into a fucking harvester rather than proving that mages can be civil and controlled. Then there's DA2 Anders. Dickhead caused the whole bloody conflict by blowing up the Chantry. Good job.
Yeah, the Templars are oppressive, and look at people like Meredith and I wouldn't side with them either. A lot of the Templars are just scared of mages and use their position as an excuse to abuse them for no real reason. They have overly heavy handed rules for control of the mages, and punishments given by templars are extreme.

Both sides are just stupid, and if I had the option I'd either wipe out both or set things back the way they were in Origins, in Ferelden's mage tower. Head mage and Head templar are almost friends, and whilst yeah, there are a couple of questionable characters on both sides, overall the tower is a peaceful enough place after the uncontrollable mages have been purged, and the trigger happy templars have had their commander tell them the error of their ways.

 

[Ryotknife]

Neither.

Both sides more or less recognize that it is a crappy situation, but they do NOTHING to solve this issue permanently. The circle is a bandaid. It would be fine as a temporary measure until they can figure out how to prevent mages from being possessed (without the circle) or to lessen the potential demon rampage. No reasonable person can expect that the circle would "work" forever, either the templars or the mages would break the status quo and send the system in chaos.

And yet, i see no mention of any kind of research associated with this problem. A drug which can mimic the effects of the Tranquil to a lesser degree? nope. A drug that suppress the users magic ability? nope. A magical device that allows long range detection of abominations so that the templars can use maximum force to eliminate the demon threat while reducing templar and civilian casualties? nope

nothing

Both sides are doing absolutely nothing. And it is not like they dont have the resources, time, or people intelligent enough to do research. The templars I imagine would be more lenient towards mages if they knew they were actively working on a solution, and the mages will be working on solving their problems, giving them hope for a better tomorrow.

You know what? the two deserve one another...

 

[Elfgore]

You Know I really hated how they did the whole Templar-Mage war thing. Bioware just took the Templars and made them huge dicks (when they really could have been nice guys just trying to restrict magic users) , and then took the mages and made them look like abused slaves. It's quite stupid in my opinion.

OT: Though I am a huge fan of militant religious orders, sadly the Templars are just such dicks I had to go side with the mages. Who I don't even like. I'm a sword and shield guy god damn it not a wimpy little milk drinker spellcaster.

 

[PrinceOfShapeir]

The Templars go too far and let their vigilance turn into fear and hatred, but they are absolutely necessary. It's not fair that Mages have to be segregated and treated differently? Yeah, it isn't. You know what else isn't fair? Life. The Mages wield powers that no Human has the right to, power to lay waste to entire regions and do far worse things than just kill. They are the superman, and the Templars are quite right to teach that you should beware the superman.

 

[Wolfenbarg]

There was a rational faction in Dragon Age 2 which pretty much represents what I would want to do to resolve the conflict. If the mages win their autonomy, they could very likely end up dominating the continent like the Imperium does. If the Templars win, they'll be even bigger bastards than before. Balance is key.

 

[Xdeser2]

You Know what? In Dragon Age: Origins, this was handled in a much better way. It was a nice underlying current in society in the game, and it was good.

In Dragon Age II, they beat that horse to death. Maybe if the characters were a tiny bit likeable I'd give a shit, but Alas, no fucks are given anymore.

 

[Zburator]

At the end of the day, the existence of the Circle, and by extension, the Templars, is a cruel but necessary existence in the world of Dragon Age.

Look at the story of Meredith, her sister was a apostate mage who eventually lost to a demon, became a abomination before subsequently slaughtering Meredith's entire family and 70+ villagers.

In such a body, the existence of a body for the surveillance and education of magi becomes a necessity. The idea ain't fun, but it ain't wrong.

 

[Emiscary]

Won't matter, decision will be retconned/ignored within 10 minutes of making it. It'll mean the difference between starting on one end of the hallway dungeon, or the opposite end. Calling it right now.

 

[Agayek]

If forced to choose, I'd side with the mages, just because the Templars a bunch of zealous nutjobs that need to be shot, each and every one.

However, the Circles are a necessity. Mages could, at any time, be possessed by a demon and go on a rampage that could easily end with a triple-digit death toll. They are, quite literally, ticking time bombs that are flat out unsafe to be around. If a mage proves themselves able to handle themselves safely, they should be given more and more freedom to move around, ultimately being able to live much like someone on parole, where they are limited to a given area and must check in with the Templars every week or so.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Being the extremely indecisive person I am I'd like to remain neutral.

But, at the end of Dragon Age 2, I had to make a choice between Anders (who was also my characters' lover) and the Templar representative. I chose the Templar side because I believe in order above passion. Because control is the most important thing in a persons life. My Elven mage friend in the game also went psycho on me because of my passive sway towards control. So clearly mages can be extremely volatile.

Saying that though I certainly don't think keeping mages under constant scrutiny is the best way either. Anders was a prime example of a passive mage who would only want live his life in peace.

Man I'm very nostalgic for Dragon Age 2.

 

[idon'tknowaboutthat]

You Know what? In Dragon Age: Origins, this was handled in a much better way. It was a nice underlying current in society in the game, and it was good.

In Dragon Age II, they beat that horse to death. Maybe if the characters were a tiny bit likeable I'd give a shit, but Alas, no fucks are given anymore.

This guy. Right here.

Seriously, why do we have to choose at all in DA3? It was such a stupid plot in DA2, one that your character has almost nothing to do with. It shouldn't have been a "thing" in DA2, and it even more so shouldn't get another game devoted to it. Since when was this series only about templars vs. mages? Maaaybe if they brought back origin stories to give the player some sort of involvement in the conflict, but we all know they won't do that - that would mean a good game! Can't have that. Instead we get some random conflict that came out of nowhere that wasn't emphasized in DAO (which was hands down the better game) with the player shoehorned in as the savior of the galaxy even though we're not involved. (As far as in know, correct me otherwise.)

 

[Frankster]

I tend to sympathise with Templars more tbh, even in da2 where both sides were equally idiotic.

Mages even before the threat of demonic posession are capable of eldritch magic which can defeat scores of even the best trained and determined soldiers thrown at them, i can see it rather easy being addicted to that power if not unchecked and end up like Tevinter (thats what it was called right? been a while since i plated da) with mages ruling everything and non magical people being peons and slaves.

The fear of magic is perfectly justified in my view, and this is BEFORE demonic possession where any mage can potentially be a gate to demonic powers.

 

[Zakarath]

Andraste Reborn and her dragon army shall lead us all in conquest over these heretics! BURN IT! BURN IT ALLLLL

 

[ImperialSunlight]

Speaking as someone who played a dedicated blood mage in both games...

Fuck the chantry, fuck the circle, and most definitely, fuck the Templars. That is the opinion of most of my Dragon Age characters.

But, honestly, the Templar-Mage conflict is extremely boring at this point. I'd prefer if they said "oh, well some massive worldwide threat is forcing us to put aside our differences for the good of the world!"

Sure, it'd be cliche, but it'd be better than going on and on about mages and Templars AGAIN.

 

[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.