“It's like you're trapped in your own body, seeing out your eyes, while someone else moves you like a puppet. And you're trying to scream, to move a single muscle, but there's no escape. Until you look down at the blood on your hands...”
An abomination is a creature created when a
demon possesses a living being with magical abilities. There are stories of abominations who have ravaged entire settlements or even gone on to tyrannize a countryside for years after their creation. Most common folk do not know, however, that the strength of an abomination depends entirely on the power of the demon that possesses the mage. Thus, the magnitude of threat an abomination can pose is dependent on the type of demon that possesses the mage.
The Mage Problem
The existence of mages is seen as troublesome for most societies. Due to the fact that mages are dangerous and unpredictable without any demon manipulating them, there is a large stigma in societies across
Thedas to keep mages separated from the normal people. Such plans have actually been implemented by the
Chantry and enforced by their
Templar Order.
Demons are able to corrupt a mage in more ways than one. The most common case is for a weak mage to channel magic through themselves and in so doing tapping into their connection with the
Fade. During these seconds, mages are sometimes exposed to demonic influence. Mages of strong-will are usually able to fend off these voices, but there always lies the possibility that even a strong-willed mage may be overpowered by something such as a pride demon. The second case is where a disgruntled mage actively wills themselves to channel blood magic and thus become
maleficarum, making deals with demons in exchange for power. In either case, the result is catastrophe if Templars are not able to slay the abomination quick enough.
Due to the fact that mages can become demons, even if they possess only the best intentions, means that
To a common person, magic is rare and when they hear stories of the destruction mages — more so abominations — are able to cause, the majority of people have a rightful fear of magic. This fear causes them to fear people who are born with magical talent, often even if it is their own child. The masses look at mages as cursed, and meant to be locked away from society so society can be protected from them. Regardless of the common perception, due to the fact that mages can become demons even if they possess only the best intentions, the Templars feel justified in restricting the freedoms of those they must serve over.
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