A letter from Enchanter Trevelyan to Commander Cullen:
Commander:
Our search for the Warden Blackwall was a partial success. He knows little of the fate of the other Wardens in the South, but he expressed interest in assisting us in the closure of the Breach. He has travelled with us for two days now, and seems to know his way around a sword and shield. Between you and me, I think he finds me just a bit batty, collecting herbs and ore samples and such and making notes for further research. All party members have complained until they needed a healing tincture made out of elfroot I collected. Except for Varric. He hasn't stopped complaining.
After that scene in Val Royeaux, it is good for something to go well.
Closed another Rift. Solas says he finds my "zeal" at killing demons "somewhat disturbing." Possibly because of growing collection of unidentified goo for further research.
Will answer your question in another letter, after we take care of the Templars tomorrow. I think I hear a bear approaching.
Respectfully submitted,
Enchanter Trevelyan
PS It was definitely a bear.
[a small drawing of Blackwall's face in profile is drawn at the bottom of the letter. Much care has been taken in the details of his beard]
A letter from Enchanter Trevelyan to Commander Cullen:
Commander:
So, before I was rudely interrupted, I was going to tell you:
After researching the factors leading to possession for several years, I began to work with apprentices. Taught them Brahm's demonic categories, tips for identification of each type of demon in the Fade, but also conducted interviews with apprentices and helped to identify areas where they might find themselves most vulnerable and suggested various proven interventions in the months and weeks leading up to each apprentices' Harrowing. Essentially, I tried to help apprentices identify and shore up their weak spots so that they might survive their Harrowing.
The Ostwick Templars saw a decrease in failed Harrowings and, to their credit, were pleased. Our Circle had long requested a mage representative be allowed to accompany Templars when they set out to hunt and recapture escaped mages. Some mages would flee the Circle, but had not resorted to blood magic or become malificar. However, the stress and fear of being recaptured by the Templars often causes escaped mages to go down this destructive path. It was hoped that having a mage accompany the pursuing Templars would reduce fatality rates and permit at least a few more mages to be returned peacefully to the Circle.
After seeing the effectiveness of my work with the apprentices, the Templars agreed that I would be allowed to travel with them in an attempt to "talk down" mages who might simply be returned safely to the Circle. And so I went. I fought a lot of demons, a lot more abominations, and every once in a while, I brought somebody home.
The Circles are a broken system, so I worked to save who I could, whether with my research or with the Templar hunters. Many mages in the Circle were not happy with this "collaboration," but I was willing to work when all they did was talk. I was promoted to the rank of Enchanter when I was twenty-six, which was considered far too early by some and long overdue by others. Not that it matters much now.
We put the renegade Templars down in the Hinterlands yesterday. By the end they were like mad dogs, attacking anything that moved.
Our return to Haven will be delayed by about a week, because I may have broken several ribs on a shield. In other news, Cassandra has a new shield I took from a dead Templar.
My jests are pointless…it was horrible. Killing those men goes against everything I have worked for. I feel disgusting.
That, I think, is enough for one letter. Perhaps putting this on paper serves my purposes as well as yours, for this part of my life at the Circle is now over. Perhaps it is good to give an accounting and then move on. I will pass this on to Ser Crow before I regret it, and attempt to get some sleep. I will report when we are on our way back to Haven.
Yours, etc,
Enchanter Trevelyan
[in the corner of the letter is a small drawing of one of Leliana's ravens inspecting an inkwell]