Chapter 41: A New Reality
It is a truth universally acknowledged that nothing is more successful at inspiring a person to mischief as being told not to do something. Unfortunately, the Chantry of the Divine Age had some trouble with obvious truths. Although it did not outlaw magic-quite the contrary, as the Chantry relied upon magic to kindle the eternal flame which burns in every brazier in every chantry-it relegated mages to lighting candles and lamps. Perhaps occasional dusting of rafters and eaves.
I will give my readers a moment to contemplate how well such a role satisfied the mages of the time. It surprised absolutely no one when the mages of Val Royeaux, in protest, snuffed the sacred flames of the cathedral and barricaded themselves inside the choir loft. No one, that is, but Divine Ambrosia II, who was outraged and attempted to order an Exalted March upon her own cathedral. Even her most devout Templars discouraged that idea. For 21 days, the fires remained unlit while negotiations were conducted, legend tells us, by shouting back and forth from the loft.
The mages went cheerily into exile in a remote fortress outside of the capital, where they would be kept under the watchful eye of the Templars and a council of their own elder magi. Outside of normal society, and outside of the Chantry, the mages would form their own closed society, the Circle, separated for the first time in human history.-From Of Fires, Circles, and Templars: A History of Magic in the Chantry, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar.
Lowtown
Bethany left her family behind; she could hear the crying of her mother from behind the door. Then she saw the Templars…if an ordinary person died because of mage they would be the first to offer that person's family their sympathies and words from the Chant of Light. But for a family that had to give up one of their own because they was a mage, they received was a cold indifference. The Templars didn't see Bethany as a woman leaving behind a family that loved and cherished her; they saw her as a dangerous weapon that needed to be leashed. Bethany and the Templars headed for the Gallows.
"You are doing the right thing, Mistress Bethany" Cullen said. "It may seem like a punishment, but this is for the good of everyone…including yours" Bethany said nothing.
"Oy! The Knight-Captain addressed you, mage!" one of the Templars said. "You will speak when spoken to!"
"I'm leaving my friends behind and will possibly never see them again, my mother has lost another child and my brother, another sibling" Bethany said. "So you will have to excuse me if I don't care for your condescension, Knight-Captain" The angry Templar took out his weapon and pointed it in Bethany's face.
"I don't know how you lived your life before, mage but you will show us the proper respect" the Templar said. "You should thankful that Captain Cullen even allowed you to speak with your family" Bethany just gave a stoic look, a Templar blade was staring her in the face and she showed no fear. This mage has been through much and lost just as much…a simple threat was not going to scare her. But Cullen knew the Gallows and the Knight-Commander well, they didn't see such tremendous will as strength but as a threat and they would try everything in their power to stamp out that spirit.
"Stand down, man, this is neither the time nor the place" The Templar stood at attention. Cullen then looked at Bethany. "If I seem condescending, I apologize, that was not my intent. I understand full well what you have sacrificed by giving yourself up; know that I honor your decision as does the Maker"
It is no simple matter, safeguarding ordinary men from mages, and mages from themselves. Each Circle tower must have some measure of self-government, for it is ever the Maker's will that men be given the power to take responsibility for our own actions: To sin and fail, as well as to achieve the highest grace and glory on our own strength.
You, who will be tasked with the protection of the Circle, must be aware of its workings. The first enchanter is the heart of any tower. He will determine the course his Circle will take, he will choose which apprentices may be tested and made full mages, and you will work most closely with him.
Assisting the first enchanter will be the senior enchanters, a small council of the most trusted and experienced magi in the tower. From this group, the next first enchanter is always chosen. Beneath the council are the enchanters. These are the teachers and mentors of the tower, and you must get to know them in order to keep your finger on the pulse of the Circle, for the enchanters will always know what is happening among the children.
All those who have passed their Harrowing but have not taken apprentices are mages. This is where most trouble in a Circle lies, in the idleness and inexperience of youth. The untested apprentices are the most numerous denizens of any tower, but they more often pose threats to themselves, due to their lack of training, than to anyone else.-Knight-Commander Serain of the Chantry Templars, in a letter to his successor.
The Gallows- Circle of Magi Interior
Knight-Commander Meredith was in her office stamping the latest request to have another mage prepped for the Rite of Tranquility. The Kirkwall Circle was a very different place than other Circles in Thedas; it had the reputation of their mages falling and becoming abominations even after they proved themselves in the Harrowing. No one knows why this is the case, many mages speculate that when the ancient magisters of the Tevinter Inperium preformed their mass sacrifices, it had punched a large hole into the Veil allowing demons to flow freely like a river. Some just thought the mages in Kirkwall were weaker willed than most. Whatever the reason, one thing was known for sure; the Gallows was one…if not the most restrictive Circles in Thedas.
Under Meredith's control, living conditions within the Gallows only became stricter around 9:30 Dragon. Mages were locked in their cells, denied appearances at court, and made Tranquil for the slightest crimes. Such harshness has led to the creation of an anti-templar group known as the Mage Underground, who made it their mission to help mages escape the Gallows and find refuge in faraway areas where the Templars could not easily reach them.
"You wanted to see me, Meredith?"
A silver-haired male elf in black robes came into the office. First Enchanter Orsino is an elf from the alienage of Ansburg, in the Free Marches, who was brought to the Gallows when he was very young. In his earlier years in the Gallows, Orsino was neither the most exceptional scholar of magic nor the most incompetent; which suited him just fine as he learned not standing out drew less scrutiny from templars. He passed his Harrowing with little trouble, obeyed the templars every order, and pretended to be content. Until a friend of his, a female human mage named Maud fell to despair and one day she locked herself in her closet and committed suicide by self-immolation.
Orsino noticed that mage suicides became routine in the Gallows and that it would occur more frequently every year, especially with the templars tightening their grip on the Gallows. Every time a mage died by his own hand, Orsino would recall Maud's final words to him. Orsino became incensed that the templars didn't seem to care about the suicides and that some took glee in it. Orsino's anger made him bold and he no longer was obedient but outspoken against the mistreatment of mages. In 9:28 Dragon, First Enchanter Maceron died without a successor. Knight-Commander Meredith was of the opinion that there was no need for a new First Enchanter as the templars ran the Gallows with little interference from Maceron. Orsino realized that the mages would need someone to advocate on their behalf lest the templars rob what few liberties they had left. Thus Orsino volunteered to be first enchanter, and the other senior enchanters rallied behind him. Some claim he became the youngest first enchanter to hold the position in Kirkwall not by his own merit, but because nobody else wanted it.
Orsino worked tirelessly to improve the lot of the mages, with his motivation to give them hope and something of a life so that death would not be more preferable. Orsino's actions caused the mages to trust him while the templars marked him as a menace. The mages under him grew defiant, pushing the boundaries where they could. Seeing this, the knight-commander tightened her grip and the more she tightened, the more Orsino fought − making use of every advantage and ally he could find. For the past five years, Orsino has had constant—sometimes very public—disputes with Knight-Commander Meredith. The common belief amongst the populace is that he is a troublemaker... possibly a dangerous one.
"You will address me as Knight-Commander, Orsino" Meredith said.
"I will address you by your proper title when you address me by mine, Meredith" the elf said. "You seem to forget that the First Enchanter and the Knight-Commander are equal partners in running the Circle"
"I will consider you an equal when you are able to keep your people under control" she said. "Captain Cullen will be heading here with a new charge, an apostate from Ferelden"
"After she has been processed, I want you to prepare your people for the Harrowing" Orsino frowned at this, the Harrowing was the final test for apprentices before they could become fully fledged members of the Circle of Magi. Mages are sent into the Fade with a task to complete, the mage must complete this task without being seduced by demons. Those who pass prove themselves capable of controlling their magic and not a danger to the public. Preparations for this test tend to take years and there are many mages, even those with the best education that have failed and died in their Harrowing.
"Absolutely not, Meredith!" Orsino said. "There is a lot of training involved when it comes to the Harrowing, I will not subject a new charge to such a trial without proper preparation!"
"This mage has been an apostate since she was a child, who knows what demons she has been into contact with in such a long period" Meredith said. "I will not risk abominations or maleficarum running amuck in my circle"
"Is your lust for my kind's blood so strong that you would throw this poor girl to wolves?!"
Meredith's eyes narrowed. "Do not trifle with me, mage. My patience is at an end"
"You and me both, Meredith…" The First Enchanter and the Knight-Commander glared at one another for what seemed like hours. Orsino then sighed, this was getting them nowhere and escalation only brought danger to the rest of his mages. "Very well, Meredith, I will put the girl through the Harrowing" he said. "Only if you agree to give me the time to get her ready, I will not budge on this"
"Fine, but know time will be short, Kirkwall cannot afford to have unproven mages in her heart" Orsino nodded, with that tense meeting over, Orsino exited the office to meet his newest charge.
Bethany
Meanwhile in another part of the Gallows, Bethany was wrapping her hand in a bandage as she gazed at a flask that now held her blood. The mage was now marked…if she ever escaped from the circle, the templars could use her blood to track her down. Nowhere in Thedas would be safe for her. One of the templars took her phylactery to a secret place for safekeeping. An elven mage soon came towards Cullen and Bethany.
"First Enchanter…"
"Knight-Captain" Orsino said. "I will take it from here" Cullen nodded and walked away to other duties. The older elf gave Bethany a reassuring smile, possibly trying to ease the girl into her new life. "Welcome, I am First Enchanter Orsino and your name, young lady?"
"Bethany, Bethany Hawke"
"Well then Bethany Hawke, welcome to the Circle of Magi"
Hope you survive the experience, Bethany! Next Time! Review and Comment!
