History Characters / DragonAgeOrganizations

* HunterOfHisOwnKind: While it is an organization of well-meaning apostates wanting to be free of the Circles, they don't tolerate maleficars and will pay people to slay them. Partly for the public good, but mostly because [[EvilSorcerer maleficarum]] [[StopBeingStereotypical undermine their message that apostate mages can be peaceful and benign]].
* FriendOnTheForce: A few Templars are aware of the Collective, but are willing to look the other way or even run interference to keep their more zealous comrades off their backs. Partially because the group is responsible enough to not be a threat. The occasional [[EveryManHasHisPrice "gifts" of lyrium]] to cooperative Templars don't hurt, either.

* TheImmune: Played with. Those who survive the Joining Ritual are rendered immune to [[TheCorruption the Taint]], since they are now partially tainted themselves. However, as the effects of ghoulification are merely delayed by about thirty years, this could count as a subversion.

** It should be noted, however, that the Antivan Crows are Assassins renowned for their mastery in ''killing'', not soldiers or warriors feared for their ''fighting'' abilities.

** It should be noted, however, that the Antivan Crows are Assassins renowned for their proficiency in ''killing'', not soldiers or warriors feared for their ''fighting'' abilities.

** It should be noted, however, that the Antivan Crows are assassins feared for their proficiency in ''killing'', not soldiers or warriors feared for their ''fighting'' abilities.

-->'''Dorian:''' ''(on the Herald getting an Assassination prestige class)'' At any rate, if you ever make it an actual profession, do tell me. The Antivan Crows have ''nothing'' on the Imperium. I know people. Keep it in mind.

* NecessaryEvil: InUniverse they are considered by many to be this. Yes, it's horrible that an organization can be given the right to massacre people and make them [[EmptyShell empty shells]] if they feel it proper, but they're also the best way to fight rogue mages, who can undeniably cause a ''lot'' of damage if left unchecked. Whether or not this justifies some of the more extreme things Templars to is a major topic of in-universe debate. One of the reasons the [[MisplacedRetribution Annulment of the Gallows]] was so devastating to the status quo is because [[spoiler: Anders went out of his way to demonstrate how unnecessary it was, which, ironically, itself reinforced to some why Templars are needed]].

* BashBrothers: The Legion and the Grey Wardens share a deep respect. They see each other as as kindred spirits giving their lives to push back the Darkspawn no matter how futile it may seem.

* BadassDecay: In-Universe. By the time of ''Origins'', it's been four hundred years since the last Blight, the darkspawn are only ever seen in small numbers on the surface which (combined with propaganda spread after the end of the Fourth Blight) has convinced most of Thedas that the losses the darkspawn took in the final battle mean they can never again be a major threat to the world. Furthermore, most people across Thedas look down on the Grey Wardens as both a relic of a dark period in history best left forgotten still trying to convince the world they have relevence, and a dumping ground for criminals, blood mages, second sons and other social undesireables.

* WrittenByTheVictors: Because of their dominant state of power in Thedas, a lot of morality and history is ultimately defined by them.

* GodzillaThreshold: The Rite of Tranquility and the Right of Annulment were ''intended'' to be this; the former for when a mage simply couldn't be trusted to avoid getting themselves possessed (making them a danger to everyone around them no matter their intentions), and the latter when something has gone so horribly wrong at a Circle that what few people ''aren't'' abominations are in the process of being tortured until they give in and accept possession, and most of the mages in the circle would probably [[MercyKill thank you for giving them a quick death]]. For instance, Kinloch Hold during the events of the Fifth Blight was almost completely taken over by traitor mages who had unleashed a number of demons and had killed a large amount of the people inside, leaving it on the cusp of the knight commander, Gregoir, to nearly use the Right of Annulment to stop the situation, and only stopped once the tower had been cleared by the Hero of Ferelden. Unfortunately, lack of oversight over the centuries meant that these kept getting called in in situations that didn't warrant them, and after getting away with this for so long, the evil Templars have started using them whenever mages look at someone funny.

* JustFollowingOrders: Many of the lower ranking Templars justify some of their more questionable actions with this, including withdrawing from the Chantry completely. [[spoiler: They also begin taking [[PsychoSerum red lyrium]] under the orders of an impostor that replaced their leader. Relatively few objected until after the red lyrium had deeply infected their fellows, resulting in the bulk of them becoming Red Templars.]]
* KnightInShiningArmor: When they uphold the Order values, they are true Champions of the Just, who actively help both mages and the common folk stay safe. Case in point, in ''DAO'', a handful of local Templars are all that stand between the people of Lothering and the Darkspawn horde. With a Blight bearing down on them, the Templar in charge flatly states that apostates are the ''least'' of his concerns, and even if one was standing in front of him (hi, Morrigan!) he wouldn't bother doing anything about it. Should the party admit to having apostates, he decides to conveniently "forget" having heard that before moving on to do more relevant work, and given the village is destroyed, they very likely went out fighting for the villagers.
* KnightTemplar: No kidding. For the Templars, anything, including [[ThePurge wiping out entire Circles]] [[NoKillLikeOverkill to eliminate any suspected blood mages]], is better than a possible mage revolt in case of Kirkwall and Val Royeaux.

* MagicKnight: They can use a variety of AntiMagic abilities to protect them from mages and disrupt their spellcasting. That being said, against regular opponents, they are forced to rely on their martial training due to being, as Alastair put it, "just a guy in a metal suit". Cullen himself explained that they have some of the best warriors in Thedas. Cullen also insists that Templar abilities are ''not'' magic. If you ask Alistair in ''DAO'' if Templar abilities are magic, he'll just shrug and say that's close enough. Meanwhile, Solas in ''Inquisition'' states that Templar abilities work by reinforcing reality against [[RealityWarper reality-bending]] Fade incursions, which is what magic is. . . making Templar abilities AntiMagic in the most literal sense possible.

* NecessaryEvil: InUniverse they are considered by many to be this. Yes, it's kind of horrible that people can be given the right to massacre people and make them [[EmptyShell empty shells]] if they feel it proper, but they're also the best way to fight rogue mages, who can undeniably cause a ''lot'' of damage if left unchecked. Whether or not this justifies some of the more extreme things Templars to is a major topic of in-universe debate. One of the reasons the [[MisplacedRetribution Annulment of the Gallows]] was so devastating to the status quo is because [[spoiler: Anders went out of his way to demonstrate how unnecessary it was, which itself reinforced to some why Templars are needed]].

* ReassignedToAntarctica: A frequent fate of Templars who end up displeasing their superiors is to be sent off to some other, much less desirable posting far enough away that they'll be someone else's problem.
* RenegadeSplinterFaction: ''Inquisition'' shows that a significant number of Templars abandoned all order to terrorize the Fereldan Hinterlands, robbing and killing indiscriminately under the pretense of hunting apostates. Both major Templar factions denounced them as madmen, but only those who joined the Inquisition did anything to stop them.

* DrivenToSuicide: Female members of non-Tainted species are typically captured and converted into Broodmothers, which is basically zombie gang-rape times one thousand. Female Legionnaires would rather kill themselves than suffer that fate.

* TheLastDance: The central concept behind the Legion is that all its warriors are already dead and, therefore, they should fight like there was nothing to lose and there was no tomorrow.

* VenturousSmuggler: They also dip their toes in transporting illegal cargo across the sea. [[spoiler:This is what gets Isabela in trouble, as when she realizes the contraband she’s transporting are slaves, she sets them free. Which results in her having to do another smuggling job to make up for the last one — this time involving a [[VideoGame/DragonAgeII book…]]]]
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: The Raiders are loosely allied at best, so getting them to agree to undertake any sort of endeavor as a group is practically impossible.

* BodyHorror: Red Templars start off with only red eyes, but accumulate more mutations as their infection grows. At the end stages, their bodies are twisted masses of crystal and flesh that barely resemble humans.
* BodyToJewel: Red Templars slowly transform into red lyrium itself. They knowingly force this fate on civilians they capture to feed their addictions.

* YourDaysAreNumbered: Extended use of red lyrium leads to certain, painful death. Within a few years of beginning dosage, the taker will either die from their now-petrified organs failing, be driven into a violent madness, mutate into a barely-sentient monster, or be converted into red lyrium crystal entirely.

* JustifiedCriminal: Most Carta members are casteless dwarves who join because their societity doesn't allow them to ever take legitimate work. To many of the casteless, their only choice is become a Carta thug or starve.
* LegionOfLostSouls: Many casteless join the Carta mainly because they lack any other option.
* TheMafia: The organization acts like one.

* BeneathNotice: How they operate. Their ranks are made up of servants, outcasts, slaves, hired help and other lower classes. Basically people whom the nobles ignore. If you piss off a gardener, word might spread to the maid and she might slip some poison into your favorite wine.
* CollectiveIdentity: Sera is unsure if there ever was a single person with the epitath of "Red Jenny", but the name is ominous enough to provide a useful boogeyman for nobles so they don't think too hard about the loose assortment of servants and beggars that really comprise the network.

* TerroristsWithoutACause: They have no organization outside of individual cells, no real vision of the future or plans for social change, and no real broader goal beyond the day-to-day spleen-venting that forms their M.O. Sera balks at the idea of organizing for a higher purpose than random requests from peasants, considering the idea to be "thinking like a noble".

* InterserviceRivalry: After the creation of the Red Templars, the Venatori and the former become bitter rivals for the favor the the Elder One. While the two factions don't directly undermine each other for fear of the Elder One's wrath, they will gladly capitalize on any failures from the other side to strengthen their positions as his top servants.

* RenegadeSplinterFaction: It's stressed that the Venatori are renegades from Tevinter and their values with Dorian noting that the Imperium disavows involvement with them (though he cynically notes that some magisters privately agree with the Venatori), while Josephine regards their ambitions as folly since the Imperium's values they seek to restore no longer exist. The current Archon Radonis acknowledges their threat, since he requests the Inquisition to siege a Venatori stronghold in the border to Nevarra and in ''Magekiller'', he employs a skilled mage assassin to eliminate four of their senior members.

A loose confederation of pirates and privateers who ply the numerous seas and coasts of Thedas.

* EvilCostumeSwitch: They trade the normal silver Templar armor for [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver a red and black variant]] with [[SpikesOfVillainy spikes]] of red lyrium crystal.

** In a more subtle manner, they're this to the Grey Wardens. [[spoiler:The game reveals that lyrium only turns red when infected by the Blight. Like the Wardens, this means each Red Templar is a warrior that willing dooms themselves into becoming a time-delayed ghoul in the hopes of using their new power to fulfill a single-minded purpose. Unlike the Wardens who are at least well-intentioned guardians, the Red Templars willingly serve a Darkspawn for no higher purpose than their lust for power and revenge.]]

* OurGhoulsAreCreepier: [[spoiler: As lyrium turns red when it is infected by the Blight, all Red Templars are a specialized type of ghoul.]]

* RenegadeSplinterFaction: They abandoned the Chantry to serve as the enforces of the Elder One's will. Thanks to the red lyrium and the Elder One's indoctrination, nothing remains of their former compunctions: they gladly slaughter or enslave anyone that their new god demands them to. Starting with any of their former Templar/Seeker brethren that escaped their initial conversion campaign. Even the most hardened of normal Templars and Seekers are horrified to see what their fellows have become.
* RockMonster: The longer someone takes red lyrium, the more it consumes and deforms them. The most advanced cases of this seen are Red Templar Brutes: near mindless giants almost entirely made of jutting red lyrium crystals that are completely unrecognizable from their original forms.

* NecessaryEvil: InUniverse they are considered by many to be this. Yes, it's kind of horrible that people can be given the right to massacre people and make them [[EmptyShell empty shells]] if they feel it proper, but they're also the best way to fight rogue mages, who can undeniably cause a ''lot'' of damage if left unchecked. Whether or not this justifies some of the more extreme things Templars to is a major topic of in-universe debate. One of the reasons the [[MisplacedRetribution Annulment of the Gallows]] was so devastating to the status quo is because [[spoiler: Anders went out of his way to demonstrate how unnecessary it was]].

* ToBeLawfulOrGood: A source of conflict with some Templars is how much they should regular mages, especially within the context of the Chantry's "Magic exists to serve man, not rule over them" argument. Either it means helping mages learn magic safely, and protect them from the potential risk them bring to not just others, but themselves, or is it making sure mages are controlled and gathered up to make sure they don't abuse magic? Some Templars eventually just give up on trying to be helpful due to the struggle it brings and just see it as their job to make sure mages don't escape, while some struggle being helpful protectors.

* OurGhoulsAreDifferent: [[spoiler: As lyrium turns red when it is infected by the Blight, all Red Templars are a specialized type of ghoul.]]

* NecessaryEvil: InUniverse they are considered by many to be this. Yes, it's kind of horrible that people can be given the right to massacre people and make them [[EmptyShell empty shells]] if they feel it proper, but they're also the best way to fight rogue mages, who can undeniably cause a ''lot'' of damage if left unchecked. Whether or not this justifies some of the more extreme things Templars to is a major topic of in-universe debate.

* TheCaligula: Some of the Divines, Ambrosia II and Amara III being examples. The first tried to declare an Exalted March on her own cathedral because mages were peacefully protesting, and the second loved to create bonfires fueled by burning maleficars. She didn't last long in the post.

* GodzillaThreshold: The Rite of Tranquility and the Right of Annulment were ''intended'' to be this; the former for when a mage simply couldn't be trusted to avoid getting themselves possessed (making them a danger to everyone around them no matter their intentions), and the latter when something has gone so horribly wrong at a Circle that what few people ''aren't'' abominations are in the process of being tortured until they give in and accept possession, and most of the mages in the circle would probably [[MercyKill thank you for giving them a quick death]]. Unfortunately, lack of oversight over the centuries meant that these kept getting called in in situations that didn't warrant them, and after getting away with this for so long, the evil Templars have started using them whenever mages look at someone funny.

* TheNeedsOfTheMany: What they claim to do. If they are justified is heavily debated both in and out of universe. The use of both [[ThePurge Right of Annulment]] and the [[BrainwashingForTheGreaterGood Rite of Tranquility]] are the most common issues of contention. To give them credit, a single mage has the potential to cause many horrors to the common man, making their actions something of a necessary evil depending on the situation.

* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: A common complaint levied at the Templars by both mages and commoners. Since they are the Chantry's Armed Forces, they are less trained to be diplomats and politicians, and act as enforcers.

* NecessaryEvil: InUniverse they are considered by many to be this. As awful as some Templars and Circles can be, having no Templars at all could cause many problems if a single mage becomes possessed or decides to use blood magic. If it is justified or not is debated.

* ThePaladin: When they follow the ideal, Templars are Champions of the Just. However when they are [[KnightTemplar not]]...

** A common criticism of Templars is that they tend to blindly follow their orders and Chantry dogma instead of analyzing their situation. Even in their rebellion, they mostly follow the existing Templar and Seeker leadership's orders.

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: The Templars are willing to go to great extremes in their mission to protect the public from magic. The Right of Annulment is the most obvious example. If a Circle appears to be lost to demons or blood magic, the Templars are authorized to indiscriminately kill every mage within, [[ShootTheDog including women and children]]. Though this is meant to be an [[GodzillaThreshold absolute last resort]] to prevent the possible escape of even one abomination, it has been abused as early as the third age, only ''25 years'' after it was first granted, to cover up the mass murder of mages committed by a particularly bigoted templar.
* InherentInTheSystem: No matter what side you fall on in the Mage/Templar debate, by ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition DAI]]'' most characters on both sides admit the problems and abuses in the Circles are inherent in how the Templar Order is trained and leashed by the Chantry.

* KnightInShiningArmor: When they uphold the Order values, they are true Champions of the Just. Case in point, in ''DAO'', a handful of local Templars are all that stand between the people of Lothering and the Darkspawn horde. With a Blight bearing down on them, the Templar in charge flatly states that apostates are the ''least'' of his concerns, and even if one was standing in front of him (hi, Morrigan!) he wouldn't bother doing anything about it. Should the party admit to having apostates, he decides to conveniently "forget" having heard that before moving on to do more relevant work.

* MageKiller: Their main purpose is to combat magic users, mortal or demon. Officially, the Templars are there to protect mages from ordinary people, and ordinary people from mages, but many of their duties revolve around executing mage dissidents or escapees. [[KickTheDog Or anyone who might fail their Harrowing.]]
** Though it has been shown since they are the Militant Arm of the Chantry, they will often protect the just; as an example, the Templars guarding Lothering.

* TheNeedsOfTheMany: What they claim to do. If they are justified is heavily debated both in and out of universe. The use of both [[ThePurge Right of Annulment]] and the [[BrainwashingForTheGreaterGood Rite of Tranquility]] are the most common issues of contention.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: There are Templars who are reasonable and even willing to look the other way for apostates that are no danger to anyone. The number vary from Circle to Circle; the Kinloch Hold were made of quite reasonable people, such as Gregoir (specially considering how the entire tower was infested by demons during the Fifth Blight), and even Kirkwall had Thrask, Emeric, Samson (before he was fired) and the late Maurevar Carver.
** Quite a few of the saner apostates are mentioned as having actual Templar friends who tolerate their existence outside the Circles and run some light interference when needed. This makes a fair bit of sense, as apostates who antagonize the order obviously wouldn't last long.

* NotSupposedToBeAPunishment: Many characters in favor of the existence if Circles insist that they are meant to be viewed a safe havens for Mages in a world unable or unwilling to properly understand them. Often those same characters respond to learning of the abuses Mages suffer with empathetic appalment, paint them a isolated incidents they represent Circle life in general, or try to suggest said abuses had to have some justification behind them.

* ArmyOfThievesAndWhores: This is largely the reputation they have in Thedas, and it's not entirely undeserved. They often invoke the Right of Conscription on apostates and condemned criminals, and outside of Blights, willing recruits are rarely to be found. While the supreme importance of their mission means that people rarely make an open stink about it, the idea that the Wardens are a "haven for criminals and [[EvilSorcerer maleficar]]" (as Rylock puts it) is a very prevalent one.
** AwakeningTheSleepingGiant: During a Blight, however, Wardens tend to see the situation as being [[GodzillaThreshold dire enough]] that they are prepared to throw most of the rules - [[NeutralNoLonger including their neutrality]] - right out of a five story window.

** TheGlovesComeOff: For Mage Wardens who don't resort to Blood Magic, they are still actively encouraged to go full pelt against the darkspawn.

** BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu: Killing an Archdemon normally ends up killing the Warden who did so.

* BlindObedience: A common criticism of Templars is that they tend to blindly follow their orders and Chantry dogma instead of analyzing their situation. Even in their rebellion, they mostly follow the existing Templar and Seeker leadership's orders.

* JerkassHasAPoint: The Libertarian Fraternity believe that the Circle is nothing more than a GildedCage, at best, and that mages deserve better than to be persecuted simply for being different. Any good points they do have tend to be buried under their [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized presentation,]] [[{{JerkAss}} however.]]

* HoneyTrap[=/=]DeathBySex: Zevran reveals that the Crows tend to raise physically attractive assassins so they can easily seduce their targets if need be.

** The creation of the Circles of Magi, while originally meant to be places to protect and teach Mages, have devolved into draconian prisons over the course of nine centuries. The abuse of the [[KillEmAll Right of Annulment]] and [[MindRape Rite of Tranquility]] has made the relationship between mages and the Chantry more volatile. Topping it off is the Chantry's propensity to [[InternalRetcon erase]] the valor and deeds of mages from history, which is likely only scratched on the surface by the findings of the Second Inquisition.

* HeWhoFightsMonsters: There are quite a few good Templars. Unfortunately, many of them seem to believe that since mages can be dangerous (which they can), they all are, and are willing to err on the [[IDidWhatIHadToDo side]] of [[KillEmAll caution]].

** Antiva in general is a study in this trope. According to the Codex, they have never won a war without foreign help, have been invaded and conquered multiple times, and acknowledge their military strength to be laughable at best. The Crows being as easily killed, contrary to their invincible reputation, could merely be a demonstration of a lie being told so often everyone assumes it to be true, which is outright confirmed in a codex entry of Queen Asha of Antiva.

* JustifiedCriminal: Most Carta members are casteless dwarves who join because their societity doesn't allow them to ever take legitimate work. To many of the castless, their only choice is become a Carta thug or starve.