Who actually sides with Meredith?

That was the point. They wanted an extreme situation. (But remeber: Gregoir and his Templars was not too efefctive... Wynne and one-two mages tried to save children, the Templars was totally impotent.)
Yes, Orsino's fate seems stupid enough, but: Orsino just saw: most of the mages dead, ONLY Hawke's group remained to help against alot of Templars. He did not want to surrender anymore. It was a desperate rage.

(Ser Barris seems nice... but he had follow that asshole, when the inquisitor called him to join. After this I don't see some logical reason to going for his help. Maybe sometime... )

There's not any logic in siding with the mages in DAI. Nope, none. It's very messy and confusing, and it's the type of thing I'd rather avoid, because as soon as Fiona didn't even regonize who I was (when I went to Redcliffe), and seeing how shitty Fiona made their current situation (aka selling her own people to Tevinter as fucking slaves while not considering any other course of action). And she's weak enough not to defend the Tranquil, who happened to be utterly fucking defenseless as the Venatori killed them, and then took there heads, and used their heads as things to spot shards - I do not see in any Logic of dealing with time magic, that could kill everyone in a blink of an eye as it destroyed the entire universe the instance it's used... Yeah, no, Templar Quest it is - it's a lot better written, and I don't feel like ending my game during there quest - plus Sir Berris is such a doll, I can't image siding with anyone else besides for Sir Barris... Who deserves a hug.. 

World of Thedas Vol 2 explains part of what happened to Orsino.

Twenty years of watching his friends in the Gallows being mistreated, violated, made Tranquil or end up committing suicide due to the harsh conditions there, were what molded him from a quiet mage who didn't make a fuss, to someone who refused to bow his head and tow the line. When he became First Enchanter, he grew more bold in how he pushed back and stood up to the Templars and Meredith, hoping that his efforts could alleviate the suffering of the mages.

When the Chantry exploded and Meredith called for the Rite of Annulment, despite the attack having nothing to do with the Circle, he felt that nothing he'd done to try and help the mages for decades had amounted to anything. So he gave into despair, went off the deep end and decided if people were going to treat them like monsters, that's what they'd get.

Orsino probably didn't think they could win, even with Hawke's help, or that any victory would be short lived. The Mage Rebellion was horribly outmatched in DAI, so he wouldn't have been wrong to suspect that even if they won this battle, they'd lose the war.

Or something in him just snapped when he saw all the dead mages on the floor, causing him to go doolally.

Or more likely it was bad writing so the devs could have you fight Orsino regardless of how much sense it made

Are you being serious right now? Seriously, what is it with templar supporters? In case you forgot, when looking at things from a neutral POV, siding with them mages makes loads more sense.

For starters, the first time you meet the templars, they tell you to fuck off and if you're a mage, they straight up call the templars already in the Inquisition TRAITORS merely for working alongside a mage. Meanwhile, Fiona risks herself to personally meet you and politely invites you to a negotiation. That alone should give you reason to go to the mages, especially if you are a mage.


 Moving on, when you get to Redcliffe, you discover the time rifts and discover Fiona has sold the rebel mages to Tevinter. However, if you talk to all the mages, only one supports Tevinter and literally everyone else openly says they are against the decision and that they want you to save them. Why should every other rebel mage be condemned to slavery and blood sacrifice because you didn't like Fiona's choice? Also, what proof do you have that Fiona knew about the tranquil? All evidence suggests that the Venatori made ocularum without the rebel mages' knowledge.

Second, Fiona having no knowledge about you and the Tevinters being in Redcliffe should raise some concerns and should be investigated. When you go to the Chantry, you find out some things that should all but confirm why you shouldn't go to the templars:

First, the Tevinters are actually an extremist cult known as the Venatori and they are obsessed with the mark and stole the rebel mages through time magic. That makes them the primary suspects in who started the Breach.

Second, you find out that time rifts are spreading. Considering you find a time rift literally inside the city in the Chantry, there's reason to believe him. After all, if a time rift is inside the Chantry, what's stopping another from opening in the middle of the street and getting innocent people killed?

Third, if you suggest getting the templars to help rescue the mages, your advisors straight up tell you that the Venatori are mobilizing for war and will be gone by the time you get the templars. Thus, you know that the primary suspect for the Breach is both obsessed with you and is preparing for war and is right next door to you. That alone should be reason to go to the mages first, especially considering literally nothing says you're going to lose the templars if you go to the mages, so why wouldn't you go to the mages first and assume you'll get the templars afterwards?

Furthermore, the whole plan to recruit the templars is to essentially threaten them into helping you or convince them to help you by saying you're Jesus. Which is more likely to get you help: rescuing mages from slavery or threatening templars? Mages are way more likely to help you. Also, in case you forgot, the templars straight up said any templars who help mages are TRAITORS so why would you consider going to them if they obviously hate mages, especially if you're a mage but especially if you're a human mage considering you likely have friends on the mage side and the templars were straight up trying to kill you during the mage-templar war?


Also, on another note, how do people like the templar mission? The only part I liked was the fade part? The rest of the mission was a painfully dull dungeon crawler and the MOST ANNOYING BABYSITTING SECTION IN THE FREAKING GAME! The mage mission had a better atmosphere showing exactly what will happen if you lose, you watch your companions sacrifice themselves, better music, and NO ANNOYING AS HELL BABYSITTING SECTION. 

Furthermore, the mage path winds up making more sense with regards to how red lyrium is relevant, how the red templars actually have any numbers to fight you, how you know about the demon army and Celene's assassination, and furthermore the mages don't make hate them compared to the templars who openly complain they aren't killing mages when you try to recruit them and complain the Inquisition isn't punishing mages after you recruit them. Those comments all but confirmed I made the right choice siding with the mages.

Really, it is more logical to go to the mages

Your last comment is just.... No.  You make me wonder what's wrong with Mage Supporters, lol. And I was being serious too, like you were being serious about calling Templars whinny. 


Maybe if they hadn't realized that the mages were under the control of a Magister, than yeah, I can see that.


This entire thing is pretty funny to me, because I don't care about this type of thing... It's not killing me, lol, I can easily side with the mages anytime I so wish too, and it wouldn't kill me (it might kill my harddrive though, ehehehe). 

I just don't care anymore, seriously. I've played DAI enough times where I lack much care about it. 

It happened on accident..  

 

Never have and never will. My Hawke loves his sister to the end of the world and will make sure that her and all mages are free. That's a major reason why i make Leliana divine. I want all the mages free so Hawke and Bethany can be reunited in peace instead of her on the run or having to sneak around all the time.