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Post by eriador117 on Dec 22, 2016 19:54:44 GMT
So, during her quest, Cassandra says she was made Tranquil without even knowing it. Then a spirit of faith touched her mind and she was no longer Tranquil, but got her Seeker abilities. Does it follow then that Seekers are in fact mages? Can a non-mage be even made Tranquil?
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Post by gervaise21 on Dec 22, 2016 21:11:39 GMT
To be honest, I don't believe the writers know exactly what they mean here. Apparently it would seem that the Rite to create a Seeker pre-dated the Rite of Tranquility on mages and that is where the Seekers/Templars got their idea for the latter from.
Now the Rite as performed on mages requires the use of a lyrium brand to cut them off from the Fade. The Seeker rite does not but merely the person seemingly cutting themselves off from their emotions through year long meditation. To reverse the Rite in either a mage or a Seeker requires a spirit to touch their mind.
However, you would think that the mage would still have the physical brand that prevented them from connecting with the Fade, so it would be temporary, as it was with Karl, and as soon as the spirit withdrew from contact, the barrier would be restored. Yet apparently this is not the case. Once the spirit touches the mind, the mage is fully restored. Which begs the question, why didn't that happen with Karl?
Now the Seeker would appear to be very similar to a Spirit Warrior in the way they acquire their powers. A Spirit Warrior is a non-mage who does a deal with a spirit who gives them specific powers tied to the Fade in return for giving them a personal view of the world. The spirit is benevolent, like those which aid spirit healers, but Templars do not tend to recognised the difference and regard Spirit Warriors as apostates even though they aren't mages because the sort of powers they get look very like magic.
The sort of powers that Cassandra claims a Seeker can do also seem very like magic, in fact very like blood magic, but instead of boiling blood in their target's veins, they boil the lyrium in the mages blood. So it does seem to have a magical component. The contact with the spirit also protects them from possession and mind control, so it would seem that the spirit never really loses contact with their mind. So, much as with the phylactery, it would seem that the Seekers are using a type of spirit magic to give themselves powers that they condemn in others.
It does seem odd that they ever bothered with making soldiers imbibe lyrium when you can protect them far better via the Seeker method and it does not have the addictive problems and deterioration of the mind associated with lyrium. Presumably it is the year long meditation that is the sticking point; it is quicker just to make the soldier swig some lyrium, plus of course is was suspected by Alistair back in DAO that the lyrium was a convenient way for the Chantry to control Templars, a hold that they did not have over Seekers.
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Post by Kantr on Dec 22, 2016 23:52:15 GMT
IF you need an army against mages quickly using lyrium drinkers is faster and cheaper than gathering people with really strong faith and willpower to go into meditation for a whole year in the hopes that a spirit of faith will touch them.
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Post by Catilina on Dec 22, 2016 23:59:00 GMT
IF you need an army against mages quickly using lyrium drinkers is faster and cheaper than gathering people with really strong faith and willpower to go into meditation for a whole year in the hopes that a spirit of faith will touch them. Well, the Templars not simple junkie peasants with magical power from lyrium; these are trained fighters. True, they training is quicker, and they are the Chantry's puppets because the lyrium addiction. So: the have some advantages over seekers in the eyes of the Chantry.
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Post by Norstaera on Dec 23, 2016 0:38:13 GMT
Karl, iirc, wasn't actually touched by a spirit. Rather, when Justice came forth, he brought the feeling of the Fade with him. That is why Karl was briefly his old self. Normal life doesn't have that Fade-touched energy swirling around.
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Post by Catilina on Dec 23, 2016 0:50:35 GMT
Karl, iirc, wasn't actually touched by a spirit. Rather, when Justice came forth, he brought the feeling of the Fade with him. That is why Karl was briefly his old self. Normal life doesn't have that Fade-touched energy swirling around. I think too, this is possible.
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Post by Sah291 on Dec 23, 2016 15:57:01 GMT
So, during her quest, Cassandra says she was made Tranquil without even knowing it. Then a spirit of faith touched her mind and she was no longer Tranquil, but got her Seeker abilities. Does it follow then that Seekers are in fact mages? Can a non-mage be even made Tranquil? I agree that the writers probably haven't thought it through yet. But I believe Templars/Seekers are mystics. The difference is their abilities are legal according to the Chantry, and in service to the Maker, and they don't call it magic. But technically, I think the line is very blurred. There's a banter between Solas and Cassandra that sort of hints at the differences between mage and Templar abilities, but when it comes down to it, they are both using their will to shape reality (which is what a mage does), they just have different purposes and methods.
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Post by xerrai on Dec 23, 2016 17:36:12 GMT
So, during her quest, Cassandra says she was made Tranquil without even knowing it. Then a spirit of faith touched her mind and she was no longer Tranquil, but got her Seeker abilities. Does it follow then that Seekers are in fact mages? Can a non-mage be even made Tranquil? Theoretically? Yes. But we have yet to actually see it in practice. Maybe we'll get luck and find a tranquil who was actually just a spirit warrior instead of mage (seeing as how the Chantry can't tell the difference). But it is a good question, and it is one I am actually dying to know the answer to. I'm mostly interested in it because so far, the tranquil are the only evidence we have as to what happens when a human/elf is fully severed from the fade. I would look to any non-mage, but even non-mages are still connected to Fade on a smaller scale as evidenced by their dreaming. But the emotionlessness demonstrated by the tranquil makes it seem like some connection to the Fade is actually necessary for a healthy psyche for these two races (maybe more, but the qunari dream differently than others so we're still waiting on them. And the dwarves don't dream at all. So for now I'll assume it is a racial thing for elves and humans). Which is both peculiar, interesting and a bit frightening in equal measure--especially if we ever get a chance to strengthen the veil in a future game. Unless the emotionlessness is actually on account to the lyrium (in which case, I would direct more of question toward the seemingly comatose and/or dead titans) instead being fade-severed, it would seem humans and elves actually rely on the fade to some degree when it comes to emotions. But who knows. Maybe the only reason mages are able to become tranquil is because of their extra sensitivity to lyrium, which non-dwarven non-mages do not have to the same degree. But again, it is a good question.
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Post by Iakus on Dec 24, 2016 1:51:56 GMT
Everyone (except dwarves) has some connection to the Fade. Mages just have a stronger connection. Therefore, it follows that anyone's connection to it can be 'sundered" ie made Tranquil.
What's odd about Cassandra being made Tranquil without her realizing it is that the Rite normally requires a lyrium brand on the forehead. Thus why Tranquil are seen with a sunburst mark on the face, which Cassandra and other Seekers lack.
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Post by oyabun on Dec 24, 2016 10:56:49 GMT
gervaise21 The Spirits-warriors are a totally different kind of class there is very little in common with the Seekers(As I see it,is just an OP Gameplay nosense for DAA)they can call spirits(of all kind)whenever they want and even cross the veil in their final form,there is not a great difference with mages as SW can just swap spirits to gain new spells. I think the class is just too much nosense.There is no mention of any SW in Thedas other than those few warriors in DAA and one of them could be Oghren,someone who is supposed to be cutted of from the fade.
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Post by oyabun on Dec 24, 2016 11:10:55 GMT
So, during her quest, Cassandra says she was made Tranquil without even knowing it. Then a spirit of faith touched her mind and she was no longer Tranquil, but got her Seeker abilities. Does it follow then that Seekers are in fact mages? Can a non-mage be even made Tranquil? Theoretically? Yes. But we have yet to actually see it in practice. Maybe we'll get luck and find a tranquil who was actually just a spirit warrior instead of mage (seeing as how the Chantry can't tell the difference). But it is a good question, and it is one I am actually dying to know the answer to. I'm mostly interested in it because so far, the tranquil are the only evidence we have as to what happens when a human/elf is fully severed from the fade. I would look to any non-mage, but even non-mages are still connected to Fade on a smaller scale as evidenced by their dreaming. But the emotionlessness demonstrated by the tranquil makes it seem like some connection to the Fade is actually necessary for a healthy psyche for these two races (maybe more, but the qunari dream differently than others so we're still waiting on them. And the dwarves don't dream at all. So for now I'll assume it is a racial thing for elves and humans). Which is both peculiar, interesting and a bit frightening in equal measure--especially if we ever get a chance to strengthen the veil in a future game. Unless the emotionlessness is actually on account to the lyrium (in which case, I would direct more of question toward the seemingly comatose and/or dead titans) instead being fade-severed, it would seem humans and elves actually rely on the fade to some degree when it comes to emotions. But who knows. Maybe the only reason mages are able to become tranquil is because of their extra sensitivity to lyrium, which non-dwarven non-mages do not have to the same degree. But again, it is a good question. If they will deliver a proper answer to it we would be able to discover if the fade is really that necessary for the health of the mind or not.
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Post by gervaise21 on Dec 24, 2016 12:03:31 GMT
Spirit Warriors also appear as an official warrior class in the on-line Core Rule Book for if you want to role play in the setting. That is where I was getting my information from, rather than DAA. I would imagine the reason Oghran could use the spec is no different to the fact that dwarves can still be possessed. It is the spirit that is doing the connecting with the mind, so provided you can get their interest in the first place, they can overcome any barrier that normally prevents connection with the Fade. In fact it is no different to how you reverse tranquillity. The spirit has to be enticed to interact with the mind of a person that ordinarily is not connected to the Fade in the usual way, whether dwarf, tranquil or (I should imagine) a qunari.
It seemed to me that Spirit Warriors are very similar to Seekers, except that with a Seeker they have been specifically touched by a Faith Spirit, whereas with a Spirit Warrior it seems to be able to be any spirit. Both Seekers and Spirit Warriors seem to be getting additional powers from the spirit that has contact with them, that seem to have more in common with mages and to the outsider appear no different. The reason it is apparently okay for a Seeker to do this is because it is connected with their faith, which is presumably how they explain it to Templars.
It would help if we had an proper example of the Seeker spec in game. Cassandra was just given the Templar spec and her abilities didn't seem to differ from an ordinary Templar, whereas they should be very different, particularly in view of what she says a Seeker can do. This is why it was a pity that DAI companions were just given the same spec as you could potentially use for your PC. In Cassandra's case it would have been far better if she had been given a unique specialisation, like the companions in DA2, so you could appreciate just how different a Seeker is from a normal Templar.
At some point in the past, probably before the Veil was raised, I think dwarves were able to dream. One of the old songs we find in the Deep Roads in Trespasser says of the "little stones" that "Mythal gives you dreams". So when she defeated the Titan and freed the dwarves from its thrall, they were able to dream the same as everyone else. So whilst they still have emotions, the raising of the Veil would appear to have dampened down their contact with the Fade sufficiently that they do not dream. Sandal could be the exception to this. I can't remember whether he says he has dreams or not but I suspect he does. He can certainly do something that is "not enchantment". Enchanting items is something that both tranquil and dwarves can do instead of magic, so there has to be a connection between the two. Remember also that Solas claims that to him everyone seems tranquil compared with what they were before the Veil.
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Post by oyabun on Dec 24, 2016 12:51:35 GMT
Spirit Warriors also appear as an official warrior class in the on-line Core Rule Book for if you want to role play in the setting. That is where I was getting my information from, rather than DAA. I would imagine the reason Oghran could use the spec is no different to the fact that dwarves can still be possessed. It is the spirit that is doing the connecting with the mind, so provided you can get their interest in the first place, they can overcome any barrier that normally prevents connection with the Fade. In fact it is no different to how you reverse tranquillity. The spirit has to be enticed to interact with the mind of a person that ordinarily is not connected to the Fade in the usual way, whether dwarf, tranquil or (I should imagine) a qunari. It seemed to me that Spirit Warriors are very similar to Seekers, except that with a Seeker they have been specifically touched by a Faith Spirit, whereas with a Spirit Warrior it seems to be able to be any spirit. Both Seekers and Spirit Warriors seem to be getting additional powers from the spirit that has contact with them, that seem to have more in common with mages and to the outsider appear no different. The reason it is apparently okay for a Seeker to do this is because it is connected with their faith, which is presumably how they explain it to Templars. It would help if we had an proper example of the Seeker spec in game. Cassandra was just given the Templar spec and her abilities didn't seem to differ from an ordinary Templar, whereas they should be very different, particularly in view of what she says a Seeker can do. This is why it was a pity that DAI companions were just given the same spec as you could potentially use for your PC. In Cassandra's case it would have been far better if she had been given a unique specialisation, like the companions in DA2, so you could appreciate just how different a Seeker is from a normal Templar. At some point in the past, probably before the Veil was raised, I think dwarves were able to dream. One of the old songs we find in the Deep Roads in Trespasser says of the "little stones" that "Mythal gives you dreams". So when she defeated the Titan and freed the dwarves from its thrall, they were able to dream the same as everyone else. So whilst they still have emotions, the raising of the Veil would appear to have dampened down their contact with the Fade sufficiently that they do not dream. Sandal could be the exception to this. I can't remember whether he says he has dreams or not but I suspect he does. He can certainly do something that is "not enchantment". Enchanting items is something that both tranquil and dwarves can do instead of magic, so there has to be a connection between the two. Remember also that Solas claims that to him everyone seems tranquil compared with what they were before the Veil. The spec of the SW on a dwarf is very odd,the spirit need to be called by the SW first(through meditation i assume) so the prerequisite for the contact is a pre existing link with the fade,one that Oghren shouldn't have because he is a dwarf. I dunno why dwarves can be possessed it wasn't never fully explained by the writers either it just happen in the books, and I'm not sure if Solas included the dwarves in his commentary of Trespasser he never said much about them on the whole game.The ancient dwarves being able to dream is also a speculation as we never saw one of them in the game,and that may just have been a misjudgment made by Mythal and her followers that seem to have realized later that killing Titans was a mistake.
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Post by gervaise21 on Dec 24, 2016 17:33:19 GMT
In order to break tranquillity a spirit needs to touch the mind of the tranquil but ordinarily there is no way they would be attracted to them. In Asunder Pharamond accomplished this by going somewhere where the Veil was very thin, so the demon was able to make contact without him being in prior communication with the Fade because demons are more prone to hanging around places where the Veil is thin looking for a victim. Then Rhys speculated that a spirit medium like himself would likely be able to attract a benign spirit into touching the mind of the tranquil, so reducing the risk of them being possessed at the same time as they were "cured".
So my idea for the mechanics of a dwarf becoming a Spirit Warrior would be for a spirit medium to assist them in making contact. This is unlikely to occur in normal dwarven Circles because they do not have mages of their own. However, Oghran was a surface dwarf in contact with mages, so whilst this explanation wasn't given in game, theoretically it would be possible for him to become a Spirit Warrior with the right assistance.
As for dwarves becoming possessed, again theoretically there is no actual reason why a tranquil can't become possessed; it is simply that without emotions they are "invisible" to spirits. Dwarves do have emotions, so even though consciously they are not in contact with the Fade, it would seem likely that in fact they are connected at some sub-conscious level, otherwise they would lack emotions like a tranquil. So whilst it is harder for a dwarf to become possessed than an elf or a human, it is not impossible. That's how I have rationalised it anyway.
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Post by sageoflife on Dec 24, 2016 17:41:00 GMT
Have people not read the codex entry you get after Cassandra's quest? Use of Tranquility and its cure on non-mages to create Seekers came first. The ability to strip mages of their magic by subjecting them to Tranquility was discovered by accident when a mage attempted to join the Seekers to gain their immunity to possession. So yes, non-mages can be made Tranquil.
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Post by Norstaera on Dec 24, 2016 17:51:40 GMT
*snip* What's odd about Cassandra being made Tranquil without her realizing it is that the Rite normally requires a lyrium brand on the forehead. Thus why Tranquil are seen with a sunburst mark on the face, which Cassandra and other Seekers lack. Or maybe that's a convenient 'truth' that isn't really a truth. Maybe the brand is never really required but is frequently used in harsher Circles for the visible reminder of templar power and control. The brand might also be a shortcut to Tranquility, used either for the convenience or the branding aspect. Or there is a device used which only becomes a brand if held directly against the skin long enough. This device might not even have to be held against the skin in order for the Rite to work properly, just near the surface which is why Seekers aren't branded. They're not being punished. Just a thought or two . . .
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Post by Iakus on Dec 24, 2016 18:38:22 GMT
*snip* What's odd about Cassandra being made Tranquil without her realizing it is that the Rite normally requires a lyrium brand on the forehead. Thus why Tranquil are seen with a sunburst mark on the face, which Cassandra and other Seekers lack. Or maybe that's a convenient 'truth' that isn't really a truth. Maybe the brand is never really required but is frequently used in harsher Circles for the visible reminder of templar power and control. The brand might also be a shortcut to Tranquility, used either for the convenience or the branding aspect. Or there is a device used which only becomes a brand if held directly against the skin long enough. This device might not even have to be held against the skin in order for the Rite to work properly, just near the surface which is why Seekers aren't branded. They're not being punished. Just a thought or two . . . Possible. But if the brand is to be used as a form of punishment or a sign of power, why waste expensive, difficult and dangerous to use lyrium on it? Wouldn't simple iron be easier and more cost-effective?
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Post by Norstaera on Dec 24, 2016 18:42:28 GMT
Oh, you still need the lyrium. If the brand is just a brand, it won't make you tranquil. If it's a device necessary for the rite, it still needs lyrium and whether it also marks the individual depends upon the user.
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Post by xerrai on Dec 24, 2016 18:42:43 GMT
Have people not read the codex entry you get after Cassandra's quest? Use of Tranquility and its cure on non-mages to create Seekers came first. The ability to strip mages of their magic by subjecting them to Tranquility was discovered by accident when a mage attempted to join the Seekers to gain their immunity to possession. So yes, non-mages can be made Tranquil. But presumably this tranquility only occurs because of the specific ritual, which, while a-ok for demonstrating that tranquility can happen to anyone regardless of their magical status, does not do so well in demonstrating any of the typical symptoms of tranquility on account of it being almost immediately cured (emotionlessness, no dreaming). The only time we have record of a 'complete' tranquil are from (former) mages, and not so much from non-mages. If we were make two people tranquil--one mage, one non-mage---then would it be possible to observe differences between the two? If there is any difference, especially a drastic difference (like the non-mage still being able to dream on rare occasions) and that is something many of us are willing to question. Basically the question is if a tranquil non-mage is the same as a tranquil mage. .
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Post by eriador117 on Dec 24, 2016 18:43:54 GMT
Have people not read the codex entry you get after Cassandra's quest? Use of Tranquility and its cure on non-mages to create Seekers came first. The ability to strip mages of their magic by subjecting them to Tranquility was discovered by accident when a mage attempted to join the Seekers to gain their immunity to possession. So yes, non-mages can be made Tranquil. Oh, I did read that, I'd forgotten about the non-mages over time.
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Post by Iakus on Dec 27, 2016 20:36:33 GMT
Have people not read the codex entry you get after Cassandra's quest? Use of Tranquility and its cure on non-mages to create Seekers came first. The ability to strip mages of their magic by subjecting them to Tranquility was discovered by accident when a mage attempted to join the Seekers to gain their immunity to possession. So yes, non-mages can be made Tranquil. But presumably this tranquility only occurs because of the specific ritual, which, while a-ok for demonstrating that tranquility can happen to anyone regardless of their magical status, does not do so well in demonstrating any of the typical symptoms of tranquility on account of it being almost immediately cured (emotionlessness, no dreaming). The only time we have record of a 'complete' tranquil are from (former) mages, and not so much from non-mages. If we were make two people tranquil--one mage, one non-mage---then would it be possible to observe differences between the two? If there is any difference, especially a drastic difference (like the non-mage still being able to dream on rare occasions) and that is something many of us are willing to question. Basically the question is if a tranquil non-mage is the same as a tranquil mage. . Would-be seekers that fail their test remain permanently Tranquil, though: dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Codex_entry:_The_Rite_of_TranquilityWe called it the Rite of Tranquility: a mind, branded with lyrium, brought to a state devoid of either emotion or sense of self. The rite was required to achieve the true peace that could draw a spirit of faith from the depths of the Fade. A difficult task, considering a Tranquil mind is all but invisible to these beings. The candidate must be pure. If the candidate proved worthy, the spirit would touch his mind... and he would be freed from Tranquility as well as made into a Seeker in truth. If he proved unworthy, Tranquility was permanentTHe only real difference noted thus far is mages, once cured, seem to undergo a period of emotional instability. We don't know how long it lasts, or for that matter, if non-mages also go through it.
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Post by sgtsteel91 on Dec 27, 2016 20:46:23 GMT
Is it emotional instability, or PTSD from being in the state of Tranqility and never wanting to be in that state again?
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Post by riverdaleswhiteflash on Dec 28, 2016 0:18:14 GMT
So, during her quest, Cassandra says she was made Tranquil without even knowing it. Then a spirit of faith touched her mind and she was no longer Tranquil, but got her Seeker abilities. Does it follow then that Seekers are in fact mages? Can a non-mage be even made Tranquil? I agree that the writers probably haven't thought it through yet. But I believe Templars/Seekers are mystics. The difference is their abilities are legal according to the Chantry, and in service to the Maker, and they don't call it magic. But technically, I think the line is very blurred. There's a banter between Solas and Cassandra that sort of hints at the differences between mage and Templar abilities, but when it comes down to it, they are both using their will to shape reality (which is what a mage does), they just have different purposes and methods. There's at least two other significant differences between Seekers and Templars and what the Chantry refers to as "mages." Templars and Seekers need to find a power source to use magic. Templars use lyrium, Seekers draw on a spirit, and there are various other kinds of demi-mages that do other things, but the thing they all have in common is that they need to find a source of power to use magic. Mages just have magic. Then there's the fact that people who draw magic from anywhere but their own magic tend to have limits on what they can do. Templars are anti-mages, and that's about it. Reavers have a variety of blood-based tricks, but basically nothing that isn't in some way creepy and combat-based. Seekers have a variety of abilities, including that really nice "ignite lyrium" trick, but you've never heard of one shooting a fireball, have you? With a mage, all they need is the proper training and they can do pretty much anything. And while you can argue either way on whether or not this is relevant to whether or not non-naturally-occurring magic users should be called "mages," perhaps the most important difference from a practical standpoint is that unless a demi-mage's power source is a spirit, they don't seem to be as much in danger of possession as a "true mage" is. True mages draw spirits across the Veil on purpose if they want, or accidentally if they're not really careful. Most forms of demi-magic don't seem to have anything to do with spirits. True, the Seeker's ritual does, but the "ritual only works if your mind is pure" thing seems to indicate that they're aware of how dangerous that is and are being very careful not to let the ritual live down to its potential. (That, and unless I'm misreading what we know the spirit only needs to touch each Seeker once. A mage is always in danger.)
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Post by gervaise21 on Dec 28, 2016 14:02:29 GMT
The spirit may only have to touch their mind once so that they are consciously aware of it but I'm pretty sure that the reason they have the abilities they do is because it then remains in contact with them. So the reason a Seeker can't be possessed by any other spirit is that they already have one in contact with their mind and being a faith spirit it is more powerful than the majority of hostile ones. The reason their mind cannot be controlled by blood magic is that their own spirit prevents this. Likely even the ability to boil the lyrium in the blood of a mage is down to the actions of their spirit from the Fade, not anything that the Seeker is actually doing themselves, other than their "faith", the strength of will to accomplish the feat that directs their familiar spirit. Cassandra mentioned one Seeker who could kill with a thought and again I would say this was down to the strength of the bond with her familiar spirit. I seem to recall in Cassandra's personal quest, her former pupil says that there is something inside him that others placed there. Likely this was to try and by-pass the protection that would normally be granted by his spirit but he was still in control because his own spirit was still in contact with his mind.
I must admit the idea of one touch and you are healed (tranquil) or one touch and you suddenly have powers you never had before (Seeker) doesn't make a lot of sense to me, which is why I have come up with the above explanation for the Seeker. I still don't understand why it requires only the touch of a spirit to the mind of a tranquil to fully restore them, particularly when they will still have the lyrium brand in place that was said to prevent the contact with the Fade in the first place. To my mind, I would have thought the spirit would have to have remained in contact with their mind for the restoration to be permanent; hence Pharamond saying that he was restored and then possessed (the book never exactly explains what he meant by this). Also once restored, we never actually see Pharamond do any magic. He seems to have his emotions restored and these appear to be heightened emotions (although it may be that he was naturally highly emotional before and that is why he was considered a risk) but we have to take on trust that he has been fully restored.
The original investigation that was authorised by the Divine was to establish if it were possible to deny a mage their power through the Rite without also neutralising their mind. Also if the process could be reversed. The answer to the second one was yes. The answer to the first one, by Pharamond, was no, so it would seem that he was fully restored by his experiment. What I find strange about the commission is that officially the Rite was considered necessary because the mage was at risk of possession and in DA2 this seemed due to the mage being naturally attractive to demons but also not fully in control of their emotions. The nature of this investigation would suggest that it is only the magic that is attractive to the demon and emotions of themselves are not a risk. Yet on more than one occasion we have been shown that possession of non-mages has been accomplished by exposing them to extreme stress, often by torture, that weakens their resistance. A large amount of death in one location also apparently thins the Veil and increases the risk of intrusion by demons; again it is presumably the heightened emotions that draws the demons to the location.
I seem to recall that Kieran says that mages have some form of magical signature in their blood. This would seem to be what the Seeker attacks with their powers and would still exist even if the mage was made tranquil, so there still seem to be some aspects of the lore that need ironing out before the whole Seeker versus tranquil, non-mage versus mage magical powers are consistent.
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Post by Iakus on Dec 28, 2016 15:25:25 GMT
Is it emotional instability, or PTSD from being in the state of Tranqility and never wanting to be in that state again? It appears to be emotional instability. Or rather, an inability to control one's natural emotions. Given Pharamond's reaction in Asunder, it's like everything he experienced was dialed up to 11. Cassandra further reinforces this in DAI, once her personal quest is done and she has had time to read the Book of Secrets: “Mages who were once Tranquil lose all control over their emotions. They become irrational, unable to focus. Perhaps that state eventually passes and they can be helped, but it will take time to investigate.”
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