Circle of Magi
The Circle of Magi is the dominant organization for the training of mages within the nations of Thedas. In the south, it had traditionally been governed and monitored by The Chantry, and also guarded and supervised by the Templar Order.
In the Tevinter Imperium, they are governed by high-ranking members of the Magisterium, who utilize the Imperial Templar Order.
Background
The Circle is allowed to take any child (usually ages six to twelve) from their families as soon as they show signs of magical ability, including those from royals and nobility. As such, they are taken from their families while still children, and highborn children who are able to use magic will lose all claims to their family's estates and titles when they are taken.
Upon joining a Circle, mages undergo a process as apprentices of having a few drops of their blood taken by the First Enchanter and placed in a phylactery. This ensures the mages' compliance and the ability to track down any mage who decides to run away, since a templar can track anyone through their blood.
The child is then raised and trained by the Circle until they reach adulthood, 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 has a very mixed reception among mages and non-mages alike. Despite the restrictions imposed on its members, it is not a system of slavery, and mages themselves—while not "free"—are not owned by the Chantry and not forced into servitude on its behalf. Nevertheless, due to the limitations on personal freedoms, such as the confinement of the mages in a Circle fortress indefinitely, the Circle is tantamount to a prison. By law each Circle is supposed to respect certain rights of the mages. Ambiguity or inadequacy in regulations, however, such as a weak First Enchanter failing to advocate a Circle's rights or the local templars' or priesthoods' penchant for corruption and abuse, can affect how much these laws will be respected.
The daily life of a Circle mage varies by fortress. Many mages come into the Circle with basically nothing since typically, they must leave behind all personal possessions from their previous life. Instead, the Circle provides for the new apprentices with standard issue robes, education, and room and board- the quality of which may vary. In some Circles, the mages, driven mad by their confinement, attempt to end their misery by jumping to their deaths. The Ferelden Circle allowed its inhabitants a weekly period of supervised outdoor exercise, until one mage used the time to stage an escape attempt. In the same Circle, the punishment for a crime like that earned the perpetrator three years of complete isolation. Those relatively humane conditions can be sharply contrasted by the Kirkwall Circle, where the Templars are heavily implied to sexually abuse mages and Tranquils.
The apprentices of all Circles, though, live communally and are taught by the Enchanters in small classes. They are allowed no contact with their families or anyone from outside with the exception of mail privileges. They pass the days studying and researching the different schools of magic and alchemy.
The Circle's livelihood is maintained by the selling of Formari goods or magical services they are allowed to provide. The prices of these goods and services are decided by the regional First Enchanter, who handles the commerce and finances of the Circle fortress.
Romantic unions with mages are discouraged by the Chantry, but that doesn't stop the mages of a Circle from carrying love affairs in secret. Should such an affair produce children, any child born to a Circle mage belongs to the Chantry. Should that child be born a mage, the child would be sent to a Circle different than that of their parents. The Chantry goes to great lengths to prevent mages from having family bonds within the same Circle. Romantic relationships between mages and Templars are explicitly forbidden, but are still known to occur. Tevinter does not work in such way, since family ties and magic are intertwined. Nevertheless, there is a pecking order in Tevinter Circles as one's social status is dependent mainly on belonging to the noble class and secondly accolades granted by one's magical talent.
Some consider the imprisoning of mages to the Circle of Magi unjust persecution and infringements of the mages' Maker given rights; others believe they are necessary sacrifices to protect both the general populace from the dangers of magic and the mages from the bigotry of the outside world.
The daily life of a Circle mage varies by fortress. Many mages come into the Circle with basically nothing since typically, they must leave behind all personal possessions from their previous life. Instead, the Circle provides for the new apprentices with standard issue robes, education, and room and board- the quality of which may vary. In some Circles, the mages, driven mad by their confinement, attempt to end their misery by jumping to their deaths. The Ferelden Circle allowed its inhabitants a weekly period of supervised outdoor exercise, until one mage used the time to stage an escape attempt. In the same Circle, the punishment for a crime like that earned the perpetrator three years of complete isolation. Those relatively humane conditions can be sharply contrasted by the Kirkwall Circle, where the Templars are heavily implied to sexually abuse mages and Tranquils.
The apprentices of all Circles, though, live communally and are taught by the Enchanters in small classes. They are allowed no contact with their families or anyone from outside with the exception of mail privileges. They pass the days studying and researching the different schools of magic and alchemy.
The Circle's livelihood is maintained by the selling of Formari goods or magical services they are allowed to provide. The prices of these goods and services are decided by the regional First Enchanter, who handles the commerce and finances of the Circle fortress.
Romantic unions with mages are discouraged by the Chantry, but that doesn't stop the mages of a Circle from carrying love affairs in secret. Should such an affair produce children, any child born to a Circle mage belongs to the Chantry. Should that child be born a mage, the child would be sent to a Circle different than that of their parents. The Chantry goes to great lengths to prevent mages from having family bonds within the same Circle. Romantic relationships between mages and Templars are explicitly forbidden, but are still known to occur. Tevinter does not work in such way, since family ties and magic are intertwined. Nevertheless, there is a pecking order in Tevinter Circles as one's social status is dependent mainly on belonging to the noble class and secondly accolades granted by one's magical talent.
Some consider the imprisoning of mages to the Circle of Magi unjust persecution and infringements of the mages' Maker given rights; others believe they are necessary sacrifices to protect both the general populace from the dangers of magic and the mages from the bigotry of the outside world.
Structure
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 adviser to the Divine. The Grand Enchanter is elected by the College of Magi in Cumberland.
- The First Enchanter | Leader of a Circle. First Enchanters routinely congregate in the city of Cumberland, at their college.
- The Senior Enchanter | Senior enchanters form a small council of the most experienced mages present in each circle. Newly appointed senior enchanters are presented in a ceremony to the Divine in the Grand Cathedral.
- The Junior Enchanter | Based on their title, the Junior Enchanters can be seen as the deputies of the Senior Enchanters, or even their chiefs of staff.
- The Enchanter | Mages who tutor apprentices. They can specialize in a particular field of study.
- The Mage | All residents who have passed their Harrowing.
- The Apprentice | All students training for their Harrowing.
Public Agenda
The Circle maintains a neutrality policy, since the Chantry might take action against them if they regularly became involved in conflict (a Blight is perhaps the sole exception to this rule). Nonetheless, it isn't unusual to see the Circle ignore at least one or two mages serving either side of a dispute, either as a courtesy or as a way of not creating too much enmity against the Circle on either side.
History
Before it became the Imperium, Tevinter was ruled by a dynasty of kings. And long before the Chantry there was a Circle of Magi: the society of mages in each city. The titles modern Circles use—enchanter, senior enchanter, First Enchanter—all originated here, and the Circles were where the most powerful mages researched and practiced magic.
In the years before the founding of the Chantry and the start of the Divine Age, Thedas was plunged into chaos. The First Blight had ended, the Imperium had broken apart following Andraste's March, and despite the spread of the Maker's teachings, blood mages and Old Gods cults were widespread. The Inquisition was formed around -100 Ancient with the goal of protecting the people from the tyranny of magic in whatever form it might take; blood mages, abominations, cultists or heretics. A loose association of Andrastian hard-liners, the group combed the land in search of these threats and some say theirs was a reign of terror. Others say they were cast in a negative light by history because their investigations and even application of justice, protecting both mages and common people impartially, crossed too many powerful groups. In these accounts it is suggested that the group was already known as the Seekers of Truth and that the "Inquisition" moniker was perhaps pejorative.
During the Second Blight, Orlesian emperor Kordillus Drakon I enlisted the help of the mages and permitted them to use their full power against the darkspawn. The mages proved essential in the subsequent battles and won enough respect to negotiate greater independence. In 1:20 Divine, the Chantry and the Inquisition signed the Nevarran Accord, and created the Circle of Magi to regulate the use and systematic training of magic throughout Thedas. The Templar Order was created to catch mages who refused to join the Circle and monitor the mage societies and the Seekers of Truth created to root out corruption.
As magic had been the source of the Imperium's power, it was all but banned when the Chantry became the new dominant force in Thedas. Blood magic was completely forbidden, and those who practiced any kind of magic were confined. At first, the Chantry detained mages and had them continually light the eternal flame in every chantry in Thedas, with all other forms of magic forbidden. For such powerful beings to only use their powers in such mundane ways, it surprised almost no one when the mages of the Grand Cathedral protested. Divine Ambrosia was surprised by the mages' insolence and almost ordered an Exalted March on her own Cathedral, until her own templars advised her otherwise. After negotiations, the Circles of Magi established a new precedent of being exiled to remote fortresses far from society where they can practice their magical arts without too much of the Chantry's overbearing restrictions.
Disbandment
With the impending Mage-Templar War, the College of Magi voted to separate itself from the Chantry sometime between 9:38–9:40 Dragon, effectively dissolving the Circles.
The Circle of Magi was formally dissolved by Divine Victoria. Yet, after the events of the Exalted Council, the end of the Inquisition as it had been sent shock waves through the autonomous College of Enchanters. Madame de Fer ably played on the mages' fear. Her followers united to build a new Circle - with Vivienne as its Grand Enchanter - in direct competition with the College. What the Circle lacked in numbers, they made up for in political connections; soon they were a force to be reckoned with.
The Circle of Magi was formally dissolved by Divine Victoria. Yet, after the events of the Exalted Council, the end of the Inquisition as it had been sent shock waves through the autonomous College of Enchanters. Madame de Fer ably played on the mages' fear. Her followers united to build a new Circle - with Vivienne as its Grand Enchanter - in direct competition with the College. What the Circle lacked in numbers, they made up for in political connections; soon they were a force to be reckoned with.
Trade & Transport
Formari are composed of individuals who focus on using their talents to create various items, most notably enchantments. Some Formari also create and sell herbal items such as potions. The Tranquil belong to this group and do all of the enchanting on behalf of the Circle. As such enchanters among the Formari are not practicing mages as true mages are unable to enchant. They are less a political organization and more akin to a tradesmen's guild. Owain and Solivitus are both examples of Formari. Formari have more contact with the outside world than other mages and as such maintain trading posts and trade houses in major cities and settlements in order to conduct business for the Circle. An example of such a trade house would be the Wonders of Thedas in Denerim.
Education
A mage's training consists of extensive study of arcane lore and practice at harnessing and channeling magical energy. The former means that mages are very learned persons. The Circle of Magi encourages scholarship and publishes the completed research. Through their education and scholarship, mages are considered some of the most educated members of society and as such may sometimes function as advisers in royal courts.
Early training is aimed at giving apprentices discipline and focus, which helps prevent inadvertent magical outbursts. Later, the apprentice learns the specific forms of common spells. Many apprentices demonstrate a talent or propensity for a particular school of magic, and are allowed or encouraged to focus their studies there.
Circles are war colleges, as well. The Chantry never forgets that its greatest use for mages is in fighting darkspawn, particularly during a Blight. Philosophically, this is seen as proper penance for the ancient hubris of the magisters of the Tevinter Imperium. Thus, even in peacetime, much of a mage’s training emphasizes battle magic. Every Circle mage learns to wield and master one or more combat spells. They train to keep their wits about them in battle and wield their powers to defend themselves and their allies. 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 lyrium brand 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. It was believed that demons cannot possess the Tranquil. This was subsequently proven to be wrong. Demons are actually able to posses Tranquil, but as there is no passion in a Tranquil's mind, demons find them undesirable to possess in the first place.
Early training is aimed at giving apprentices discipline and focus, which helps prevent inadvertent magical outbursts. Later, the apprentice learns the specific forms of common spells. Many apprentices demonstrate a talent or propensity for a particular school of magic, and are allowed or encouraged to focus their studies there.
Circles are war colleges, as well. The Chantry never forgets that its greatest use for mages is in fighting darkspawn, particularly during a Blight. Philosophically, this is seen as proper penance for the ancient hubris of the magisters of the Tevinter Imperium. Thus, even in peacetime, much of a mage’s training emphasizes battle magic. Every Circle mage learns to wield and master one or more combat spells. They train to keep their wits about them in battle and wield their powers to defend themselves and their allies. 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 lyrium brand 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. It was believed that demons cannot possess the Tranquil. This was subsequently proven to be wrong. Demons are actually able to posses Tranquil, but as there is no passion in a Tranquil's mind, demons find them undesirable to possess in the first place.
DISBANDED/DISSOLVED
Dissolution Date
9:44 Dragon
Type
Education, Magic
Alternative Names
The Circle
Leader
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
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