Circle of Magi

The Circle of Magi is the dominant organization for the training of mages within the nations of Thedas. It has traditionally been governed and monitored by the Chantry. More specifically, the Circle has been guarded and supervised by the Templar Order.
Since the Danforth Incident, almost all of the Circles have violently defected from the Chantry and their Templar "jailors". The institution still exists, though its future is uncertain. Most mages have since joined the mage rebellion.

Public Agenda

The Circle is allowed to take any person (usually around the ages of six to twelve) from their families as soon as they show signs of magical ability, including those from royal families 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.
By decree of the Templar Order, this is necessary since mages inherently are quite dangerous. As well, templars want to protect mages from those who would seek to harm or abuse them because of their powers. Beyond endangering others, mages are also in great danger to themselves. The commonly believed source of magic in the world is the Fade. Mages tap into it to cast spells. The danger of this is that it sometimes invites the residents of the Fade, demons, to commune with the mind of the mage. These demons prey upon people's emotions, hopes, and fears and will tell the mage exactly what they want to hear. Submitting one's self to the allure of demons is a way to quickly devolve one's self into an abomination and wielder of blood magic. Many mages go their entire lives living with the temptation the demons offer them. The Circle provides education and training for mages to block out these voices and resist the vile temptation. More disconcertingly, powerful demons would not even require the individual to submit to their will. If such a demon is so powerful and attempts to possess a mage, it is possible that the mage is just entirely overwhelmed. This is much less common, thankfully, since it would rely upon the mage to be using their magic while in a hyper-emotional state of being.
Upon joining a Circle, mages undergo a process as apprentices where they have a few drops of their blood taken by the First Enchanter and placed into a phylactery. This ensures the mages' compliance to the Circle system. If they do not comply, the phylactery grants templars the ability to track down any mage who decides to run away.
The mage 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 apprentices of all Circles live communally and are taught by the Enchanters in small classes. In general, 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.
Occasionally, high ranking Circle mages are allowed out for academic purposes. Templars and other factions that associate with the Circle can request mages to accompany them on certain journeys or tasks. If a mage is temporarily let out of the Circle in this way, the faction member that the mage is assigned to becomes fully responsible for both themselves as well as the mage (for both good and bad).

Reception

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. Mages themselves, while not "free", are not owned by the Circle and are not forced into servitude on its behalf. Nevertheless, due to the limitations in personal freedoms such as confinement in a Circle fortress indefinitely, the Circle is tantamount to a prison. Since the exact way of life is governed mostly by each Circle's First Enchanter, life is made to be as good as it could be given the circumstances. After all, they are mages too.
Some consider the imprisoning of mages to the Circle of Magi unjust persecution and infringements of the mages' Maker given rights; others believe the Circles are necessary to protect both the general populace from the dangers of magic and the mages from the bigotry of the outside world.

Locations of Circles

Note: a * indicates that the Circle is destroyed or no longer in use.

Nation	Location	Special details (if any)
Antiva	Antiva City
Antiva	Rialto
Ferelden	Denerim (Fort Drakon)*	Was mostly destroyed during the Danforth Incident
Ferelden	Dragon's Peak
Ferelden	Jainen	In the Waking Sea bannorn, on a small island.
Ferelden	Kinloch Hold*	Location became so corrupted after a blood magic incident that the templars decided the tower could no longer house mages, for their own safety.
Free Marches	Ansburg
Free Marches	Hercinia
Free Marches	Kirkwall	Ran in a place known as the Gallows, which once served as a slavery hub back in the days of the Tevinter Imperium.
Free Marches	Ostwick
Free Marches	Starkhaven*	This Circle was burned to the ground about a decade ago. Most of its mages were relocated to Kirkwall.
Free Marches	Tantervale
Nevarra	Cumberland	The largest and most powerful Circle. Seat of power for the Grand Enchanter.
Nevarra	Hunter Fell
Orlais	Ghislain
Orlais	Montsimmard
Orlais	Val Royeaux
Rivain	Dairsmuid	Had the Right of Annulment invoked upon it and it was mostly destroyed. Was later built back up by First Enchanter and Queen of Rivain, Lucia Campagna.

Structure

Training and Education

A mage's training consists of extensive study of 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 completed research. Examples of this are the botanical writings of Ines from Antiva's Circle and the spirit research of Rhys from Ferelden's Circle. 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.

Fraternities of Enchanters

The mages of the Circle are also divided into several fraternities, the equivalent of political parties, which hold diverse views of how mages should act and their place in society.
Main article: Fraternities of Enchanters

The Harrowing

The Harrowing is a secret rite of passage that the Circle administers to adult apprentice mages. It is a test that an apprentice must pass and overcome in order to continue their studies and become a mage. 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. If they cannot stave it off, they die and when the demon takes over their body, they are slain by a templar.
The percentage of students that succeed is a well-kept secret.

Tranquil

Mages who are too weak of will to resist demonic possession or who endanger those around them are forced 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 or use magic. As a side effect, their emotional center is utterly removed and they instead think purely logically. It is believed that demons cannot possess the Tranquil.
They keep to themselves, and, if asked directly, will readily agree that having the opportunity to live out a peaceful and useful existence is far preferable when compared to what their alternatives would have been.

Apostates

Mages who are not part of the Circle of Magi are considered apostates. Apostates are sought out by templars in order to bring them to the Circle. The exact method by which a templar is to do so is up to their discretion. Generally, they are to protect the mage and show them that this path is necessary. If violence is the only resort, the templar will slay the apostate though this is not advised. Mages who escape from the Circle are also considered apostates and are either killed or brought back to the Circle by the templars where they will be punished.
Any apostates that practice forbidden forms of magic such as blood magic are known as maleficarum, and are at even greater risk of being hunted down and slain.

Type

Guild, Mages

Notable Members

• Lucia Campagna

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Ranks:

1. Grand Enchanter
2. First Enchanter
3. Senior Enchanter
4. Enchanter
5. Mage
6. Apprentice