Tranquil

The Tranquil is a group of mages who went through the Rite of Tranquility and belong to the Formari. The Rite cuts off the connection to the Fade; the Tranquil can no longer dream nor draw on the Fade to perform magic. As a side effect, their emotional center is utterly removed which makes them undesirable to be possessed by demons in the first place. It should be noted that until 9:40 Dragon, the tranquils were thought to be immune to demonic possession.

Performing the Rite


It is the judgment of the Knight-Commander whether a mage needs to be made Tranquil. Chantry law forbids performing the Rite of Tranquility without significant provocation and the agreement of the relevant Circle's First Enchanter. "Provocation", in this case, means that the mage either cannot control their magic or has shown no signs of willingness to do so. Since a mage who has passed the Harrowing is deemed to be strong enough of will to resist demonic possession, forcibly making them Tranquil is theoretically against Chantry law. Practically, the situation varies from tower to tower: the system will fall out of balance anywhere where the First Enchanter is either weak or ignored, resulting in the Rite being used as a punishment or a control over unruly mages.

The Rite of Tranquility is claimed to be an act of mercy, if not kindness. Many of those who go through the Rite have never even shown the desire to be mages in the first place. Once made Tranquil, they are believed to be immune to the mortal dangers (i.e., the nightly struggle to resist demonic temptation and possession) they would have to face otherwise. While some mages are forced to undergo the Rite, some volunteer willingly. Mages don't generally elect to become Tranquil after their Harrowing, but it's not unheard of.

The Rite involves the use of a lyrium brand. As a result the Tranquil have the seal of the Chantry's sunburst engraved on their foreheads. The Tranquil are not permitted to speak of the Rite.

State of Tranquility
In the mind of the Tranquil, there is no passion. 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.

The Tranquil are stripped of their capacity to form anything other than a logical opinion. However, they neither lose their memory nor become automatons: they possess free will. They do not wish to die and are no more susceptible to suggestion than they were previously. They are more agreeable and would not normally oppose an authority figure, since they do not possess the desire to object, but if the Tranquil saw a logical reason not to follow an order, they would do so. Tranquil can't take offense and know no modesty.

Tranquil can be creative—insofar as a very logical scientist might be. They pursue a means to an end, and are capable of coming up with alternate solutions to problems. They are, however, methodical to a fault. They are not taken by inspiration, and some might say what they lack is intuition. The fact that they do not get bored and take no pleasure out of creating takes much of the impetus away for them to change their methods or seek to create something different unless there is a clear reason to.

Tranquil in the society
Monotonous voices and blank, expressionless eyes of the Tranquil make mages and non-mages alike feel uncomfortable in their presence. Many Tranquil assume a placid smile, not because they are pleased about anything but because they know it puts others at ease.

The Tranquil are no longer considered to be mages and are free to leave the Circle. Most remain, primarily because it's logical: they're not welcome elsewhere, and can serve in a productive capacity in the Circle and live comfortably. Some Tranquil choose to leave, but such cases are rare.

The Tranquil perform all sorts of menial and administrative functions in the towers: they service the mages' chambers, purchase the supplies, act as storekeepers, manage the archives and maintain the records. They can also serve as sellers in Circle of Magi shops.

The Tranquil use lyrium to enchant items, providing the Circle its main source of funding. They are resistant to its effects and would be mostly unaffected by raw lyrium unless they spend too much time in its presence.

Reversing the Rite
It is revealed that proximity to a mage bonded with a Fade spirit can temporarily restore a Tranquil to their former self. In contrast to the content and peaceful outlook of the Tranquil, the restored individual described it as a horrific experience in comparison.

Known tranquil

 * Eiton, who was born Tranquil
 * Elsa
 * Feynriel (optionally)
 * Owain
 * Emissary Pether
 * Pharamond
 * Karl Thekla
 * Tranquil Proprietor
 * Tranquil Mage at Ostagar
 * Helena, a Human mage in the Gallows during Act 2 of Dragon Age II. Her lover, the Elven mage Jaken, is shocked to find her Tranquil

Trivia

 * The Rite of Tranquility is similar, in results, to the real world practice of lobotomy. Similar to the Rite of Tranquility, the lobotomy is infamous for being abused and remains highly controversial to this day. The practice, controversy aside, largely ceased following the development of more effective antipsychotic drugs.
 * The Tranquil in Dragon Age: Origins were supposed to bear the sunburst, but the developers were not able to put it in.