Post by facemelter on Feb 4, 2012 14:27:44 GMT -5
The Circle of Magi is the dominant organization for the training of mages within nations of Thedas. They are governed and monitored by the Chantry and without counting those of Tevinter Imperium, there are 14 Circles of Magi in Thedas.
The Circle is allowed to take any child (usually age 6 to 12) from their families as soon as they show signs of magical ability. Even a royal child would be taken by the Circle should they show magical ability. The Circle then raises the child until they are a young adult, at which time they must either undergo the Harrowing or be made Tranquil.
The Circles, as Circle fortresses are called, tend to be located in remote and difficult to reach areas, but the Formari have outposts in major cities for the purpose of trade. The Circle's base of operations in Ferelden is Kinloch Hold—better known as simply the Circle Tower.
The Circle maintains a neutrality policy, since the Chantry might take action against them if they got into the habit of getting involved into conflicts, the single exception being perhaps during a Blight. Nonetheless, it isn't that unusual to see at least one mage or two serving either side during a conflict and the Circle ignoring these, either as a courtesy or as a way of not creating too much enmity against the Circle on either side.
The College of Magi, a council of representatives from all the Circles in Thedas (excluding Tevinter), routinely convenes in the city of Cumberland, Nevarra to discuss Circle policy and to elect a new Grand Enchanter.
Hierarchy
Each Circle follows a simple six-tier hierarchy where all residents fit; although the Tranquil seem to stand somewhat outside this progression.
The grand enchanter, the Circle's direct representative to the Chantry and advisor to the Divine. The grand enchanter is elected by the College of Magi in Cumberland. The position is currently held by Fiona, a former Grey Warden who was a friend of Duncan and ex-lover of King Maric during their expedition in the Deep Roads before the time of the Fifth Blight in Ferelden.
In the time of the Tevinter Imperium, the rank of magister existed above first enchanter as supreme authority in the each Circle. After the mage Darinius claimed the title of Archon, the magisters became the only noble rank in Tevinter. All Circles outside Tevinter have abolished this rank.
Fraternities of Enchanters
The mages of the Circle are also divided into several fraternities, the equivalent of political parties, which hold diverse views of how mages should act and their place in society. Each fraternity is ruled by a senior Enchanter, whom has the ability to speak and vote for their fraternity members, although the Grand Enchanter holds the ultimate power over all.
Aequiterians
The most practical and pragmatic of the fraternities, the Aequiterians seek balance and moderation in the application of magic and in dealing with most problems. They believe in a firm set of rules and the ideal of selfishness service to the greater populace. They are often the moderators of disagreements between fraternities, calling for unity and cooperation within the circle and brokering comprises whenever possible.
Formari
The Formari is made up of Tranquil and does enchanting and trade work on behalf of the Circle. Exposure to lyrium and the process of the Rite of Tranquilty leaves the Formari somewhat isolated from the rest of the Circle, while they are also the Circle members with most interactions with the outside world. Even so, they do not have a broad philosphy or outlook. The Formari maintain trading posts and trade houses in major cities and settlements to carry out Circle business.
Isolationists
The Isolationists fraternity would prefer an even greater speration between mages and the rest of the world. They advocate that mages live apart from ordinary people as isolated hermits, or in small, hidden communities. Some Isolationists believe this is the best way for the mages to persue the study and use of magic in peace and safety while others think magic is as dangerous as the Chantry say it is (or even more so) and that mages should be isolated from the world for its own protection. The former faction has some Libertarian leanings, preffering their isolation be free of the Chantry and it`s Templars, while the latter faction has Loyalists or Aequitarian leanings.
Libertarians
Libertarians want as much independence for the Circle (and, often, for mages in general) as possible. The most conservative Libertarians seek to loosen the Chantry`s hold on the Circle, making it an independent body with control over it`s own destiny. The most radical Libertarians advocate the abolition of the Circle as anything other than a loose network of training and communication between mages, claiming all full fledged mages should be soveraign and free to persue their studies and practices as they see fit. The Libertarians are the largest opposition block to the Loyalists and their conservative Aequitarian allies.
Loyalists
The Loyalists fraternity seeks to strenghten ties between the Circle and the Chantry to the point of wanting the Circle of Magi to become an offical arm of the Chantry, like the Templars. Loyalists are often apologists for Chantry police toward the Circle, explaining how the Chantry has the best interests of both mages and the general populace at heart, and how the oversight of Templars is borth necessary and honorable. Many loyalists are driven by a deep personal faith in the Chant of Light while others have a more cynical desire to curry favor with the hierarchy of the Chantry.
Lucrosians
To the Lucrosians magic is power, pure and simple, and therefore the work of a mage is the acquisition of power. To Lucrosians this persuits extends past magical powers and knowledge to the other forms of wordly power, particulary weath. If a mage has the potential to earn great wealth, why should they not be allowed to do so like any skilled artisan or crafter? The Lucrosians find allies amongst the Libertarian fraternity, who favor greater freedom to persue the kind of power that interests them. They are most often opposed by the Aequiterians (with their rules and sense of duty and service) and Loyalists (who would cede power to the Chantry).
The Harrowing
The Harrowing is a secret rite of passage that the Circle administers, without warning, to adult apprentice mages. The apprentice is exposed to a demon under controlled circumstances in order to prove that they are strong and willful enough to fight off an attempt at possession.
The Tranquil
Mages who are too weak of will to resist demonic possession or appear to be dangerous are forced (or willingly volunteer) to go through the Rite of Tranquility, which involves the use of a magical brand made of lyrium to cut off a mage's connection to the Fade: they can no longer dream. As a side effect, their emotional center is utterly removed. One or both of these things make it so that demons can no longer possess them (it's not certain which). In the mind of one of the Tranquil, there is no passion. They keep to themselves, and, if asked directly, will readily agree that having the opportunity to live out a peaceful and useful existence is far preferable when compared to what their alternatives would have been.
Apostates
Mages who are not part of the Circle of Magi are considered apostates and are hunted and killed by the Order of Templars. Mages who escape from the Circle are also considered apostates and either killed or brought back to the Circle by templars, though with enough secrecy however Apostates are shown to have varying levels of integration into Thedosian society, as with Gascard DuPuis and Anders. In retrospective, apostates consider the Circle a prison.
Apostates that practice forbidden forms of magic such as blood magic are known as maleficarum, and are at even greater risk of being hunted down and slain for their practices.
The Circle is allowed to take any child (usually age 6 to 12) from their families as soon as they show signs of magical ability. Even a royal child would be taken by the Circle should they show magical ability. The Circle then raises the child until they are a young adult, at which time they must either undergo the Harrowing or be made Tranquil.
The Circles, as Circle fortresses are called, tend to be located in remote and difficult to reach areas, but the Formari have outposts in major cities for the purpose of trade. The Circle's base of operations in Ferelden is Kinloch Hold—better known as simply the Circle Tower.
The Circle maintains a neutrality policy, since the Chantry might take action against them if they got into the habit of getting involved into conflicts, the single exception being perhaps during a Blight. Nonetheless, it isn't that unusual to see at least one mage or two serving either side during a conflict and the Circle ignoring these, either as a courtesy or as a way of not creating too much enmity against the Circle on either side.
The College of Magi, a council of representatives from all the Circles in Thedas (excluding Tevinter), routinely convenes in the city of Cumberland, Nevarra to discuss Circle policy and to elect a new Grand Enchanter.
Hierarchy
Each Circle follows a simple six-tier hierarchy where all residents fit; although the Tranquil seem to stand somewhat outside this progression.
The grand enchanter, the Circle's direct representative to the Chantry and advisor to the Divine. The grand enchanter is elected by the College of Magi in Cumberland. The position is currently held by Fiona, a former Grey Warden who was a friend of Duncan and ex-lover of King Maric during their expedition in the Deep Roads before the time of the Fifth Blight in Ferelden.
- The first enchanter, leader of a Circle.
- The senior enchanters, a small council of the most experienced mages.
- The enchanters, those mages who participate in teaching.
- The mages, all residents who have passed their Harrowing.
- The apprentices, all students training for their Harrowing.
In the time of the Tevinter Imperium, the rank of magister existed above first enchanter as supreme authority in the each Circle. After the mage Darinius claimed the title of Archon, the magisters became the only noble rank in Tevinter. All Circles outside Tevinter have abolished this rank.
Fraternities of Enchanters
The mages of the Circle are also divided into several fraternities, the equivalent of political parties, which hold diverse views of how mages should act and their place in society. Each fraternity is ruled by a senior Enchanter, whom has the ability to speak and vote for their fraternity members, although the Grand Enchanter holds the ultimate power over all.
Aequiterians
The most practical and pragmatic of the fraternities, the Aequiterians seek balance and moderation in the application of magic and in dealing with most problems. They believe in a firm set of rules and the ideal of selfishness service to the greater populace. They are often the moderators of disagreements between fraternities, calling for unity and cooperation within the circle and brokering comprises whenever possible.
Formari
The Formari is made up of Tranquil and does enchanting and trade work on behalf of the Circle. Exposure to lyrium and the process of the Rite of Tranquilty leaves the Formari somewhat isolated from the rest of the Circle, while they are also the Circle members with most interactions with the outside world. Even so, they do not have a broad philosphy or outlook. The Formari maintain trading posts and trade houses in major cities and settlements to carry out Circle business.
Isolationists
The Isolationists fraternity would prefer an even greater speration between mages and the rest of the world. They advocate that mages live apart from ordinary people as isolated hermits, or in small, hidden communities. Some Isolationists believe this is the best way for the mages to persue the study and use of magic in peace and safety while others think magic is as dangerous as the Chantry say it is (or even more so) and that mages should be isolated from the world for its own protection. The former faction has some Libertarian leanings, preffering their isolation be free of the Chantry and it`s Templars, while the latter faction has Loyalists or Aequitarian leanings.
Libertarians
Libertarians want as much independence for the Circle (and, often, for mages in general) as possible. The most conservative Libertarians seek to loosen the Chantry`s hold on the Circle, making it an independent body with control over it`s own destiny. The most radical Libertarians advocate the abolition of the Circle as anything other than a loose network of training and communication between mages, claiming all full fledged mages should be soveraign and free to persue their studies and practices as they see fit. The Libertarians are the largest opposition block to the Loyalists and their conservative Aequitarian allies.
Loyalists
The Loyalists fraternity seeks to strenghten ties between the Circle and the Chantry to the point of wanting the Circle of Magi to become an offical arm of the Chantry, like the Templars. Loyalists are often apologists for Chantry police toward the Circle, explaining how the Chantry has the best interests of both mages and the general populace at heart, and how the oversight of Templars is borth necessary and honorable. Many loyalists are driven by a deep personal faith in the Chant of Light while others have a more cynical desire to curry favor with the hierarchy of the Chantry.
Lucrosians
To the Lucrosians magic is power, pure and simple, and therefore the work of a mage is the acquisition of power. To Lucrosians this persuits extends past magical powers and knowledge to the other forms of wordly power, particulary weath. If a mage has the potential to earn great wealth, why should they not be allowed to do so like any skilled artisan or crafter? The Lucrosians find allies amongst the Libertarian fraternity, who favor greater freedom to persue the kind of power that interests them. They are most often opposed by the Aequiterians (with their rules and sense of duty and service) and Loyalists (who would cede power to the Chantry).
The Harrowing
The Harrowing is a secret rite of passage that the Circle administers, without warning, to adult apprentice mages. The apprentice is exposed to a demon under controlled circumstances in order to prove that they are strong and willful enough to fight off an attempt at possession.
The Tranquil
Mages who are too weak of will to resist demonic possession or appear to be dangerous are forced (or willingly volunteer) to go through the Rite of Tranquility, which involves the use of a magical brand made of lyrium to cut off a mage's connection to the Fade: they can no longer dream. As a side effect, their emotional center is utterly removed. One or both of these things make it so that demons can no longer possess them (it's not certain which). In the mind of one of the Tranquil, there is no passion. They keep to themselves, and, if asked directly, will readily agree that having the opportunity to live out a peaceful and useful existence is far preferable when compared to what their alternatives would have been.
Apostates
Mages who are not part of the Circle of Magi are considered apostates and are hunted and killed by the Order of Templars. Mages who escape from the Circle are also considered apostates and either killed or brought back to the Circle by templars, though with enough secrecy however Apostates are shown to have varying levels of integration into Thedosian society, as with Gascard DuPuis and Anders. In retrospective, apostates consider the Circle a prison.
Apostates that practice forbidden forms of magic such as blood magic are known as maleficarum, and are at even greater risk of being hunted down and slain for their practices.
