The Circle Tower, officially named Kinloch Hold, is Ferelden's regional headquarters for the Circle of Magi. It is located on Lake Calenhad, and accessed only by its docks. As per Chantry and local law, human and city elf citizens of Ferelden with magical potential are brought here to be imprisoned for most of their lives and instructed in the legally-approved Schools of Magic, and (ideally) trained to resist demons (who seek especially to possess living mages).
Apprentices and the majority of the Circle's impressive library are housed on the first floor, while full mages live on the second floor, which also contains the stockrooms, enchanters' laboratories, the Chantry, and more libraries. The third floor consists mostly of meeting rooms and assembly spaces, as well as a few personal quarters, presumably for the senior enchanters. The templars live and train on the fourth floor, while the pinnacle of the tower, accessible only from the Templar Quarters, contains the Harrowing Chamber. Each floor is dozens of feet high. The tower also features a secure basement, which houses the repository, a vault for dangerous artifacts, and, prior to 9:30 Dragon, the phylacteries of apprentices. Beneath the tower there is also an extensive network of caves which part of it is used by the tower as storage space.
A small trading hamlet has developed on the shore to facilitate trade and to maintain a ferry to the tower, which was originally reached by a massive bridge (now in ruins). Visitors are few and far between, however, as most come either to learn magic or to watch over those who do.
Background
Since it is best known as the Tower of the Circle of Magi these days, many people forget that the great tower sitting in the middle of Lake Calenhad existed long before the Circle.
— First Enchanter Lothaire
More commonly referred to as the Tower of the Circle of Magi or the Circle Tower, Kinloch Hold existed long before the Circle was founded. Built by the Avvars along with some help from dwarves, it was long considered impregnable -- until the Tevinter Imperium drove the Avvars from it in a brutal campaign.
The tower was thought to be cursed, and was widely shunned even before the Circle of Magi moved there in 3:87 Towers after its tower in Denerim was razed.[1]
Involvement
Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne
Dragon Age: The Calling
King Maric Theirin along with a group of Grey Wardens visited Kinloch Hold in 9:10 Dragon. There, in a small ceremony in front of the Circle, they were given black brooches which would allow them to not be sensed by the darkspawn, and Maric was given some rare potions which would allow him to resist the darkspawn corruption. Duncan also slipped into the upper levels of the tower and stole an ebony-black dagger from the chest in First Enchanter Remille's room.
While the Grey Wardens and Maric were underground, Remille along with the help of other Orlesian Circle mages and templars, managed to take over the tower and imprison everyone else in the dungeons. However, Teyrn Loghain who was already suspicious of the Orlesians, quickly took notice of this development. In the meantime, Remille captured Maric, Duncan and Fiona who fled Kul-Baras and brought them back to the Circle Tower where the Architect, Bregan, Genevieve and Utha were waiting for them. Eventually this meeting turned into a brawl which ended with Maric, Fiona and Duncan surviving and Utha and the Architect fleeing. In the meantime Fereldan troops led by Teyrn Loghain assaulted the Tower and freed it from those who took it over.
Dragon Age: Origins
Magi Origin
- Main article: Magi Origin
A Circle mage will go through their Harrowing at the Circle Tower and later encounter Duncan, Ferelden's Warden-Commander here.
Broken Circle
- Main article: Broken Circle
Witch Hunt
Places
Apprentice Quarters Interior
List of Circle Tower mages
First Enchanters
- Wenselus – First Enchanter in the Blessed Age, when Wynne was brought to the Circle[2][3]
- Arlen[note] – First Enchanter in the time following the rebellion against Orlais[4]
- Remille – Orlesian mage and First Enchanter in 9:10 Dragon
- Irving – First Enchanter from 9:10 Dragon through at least the start of the Fifth Blight in 9:30 Dragon
- Sinclair – First Enchanter from an unknown time period[5]
Senior Enchanters
Enchanters
Mages
- Finn
- Godwin
- Niall
- Petra
- The Warden (Magi Origin)
Apprentices
Tranquil
Apostates with prior Circle training
Other characters
- Bran
- Cullen
- Dagna (possibly)
- Drass
- Knight-Commander Greagoir
- Hadley
- Quartermaster
- Sadatt
- Sandal
- Head Cook[6]
Notable items
- See Quartermaster (Circle Tower) for merchant items. To open all locked chests in the Circle Tower one needs a lockpicking score of 60.
Archon Robes, source: Drop Blood Mage
Beastman's Dagger, source: locked Chest
Buckle of the Winds, source: Pile of Fifth
Charged Mitts, source: SideQuest Drop Fade Rifter
Cinderfel Gauntlets, source: Boss Drop Uldred
Fade Striders, source: Chest
Kaddis of the Lady of the Skies, source: Chest
Litany of Adralla, source: Niall's Corpse
Love Letter, source: locked Chest
Mabari War Harness, source: Chest
Sailor's Charm, source: Vanity
Scroll of Banastor x2, source: Pile of Books
Shiver, source: Drop Desire Demon
Small Painted Box, Quest Item, source: First Enchanter's Desk
The Libertarian's Cowl, source: Charred Corpse
Yusaris, source: SideQuest Boss Drop Shah Wyrd
Greagoir's Shield, it is marked as stealable but currently equipped making this impossible without the toolset.
Journeyman Lightning Rune, source: Locked Chest Templar Quarters (4th Floor).
Notable gifts for companions:
Remarkable Malachite, for Shale, source: Quartermaster at Apprentice Quarters (First Floor).
Black Grimoire, for Morrigan, source: Irving's Quarters at Senior Mage Quarters (Second Floor).
Chantry Amulet, for Leliana, source: Templar Corpse at Senior Mage Quarters (Second Floor).
Silver Chain, for Morrigan, source: Vanity at Senior Mage Quarters (Second Floor).
The Rose of Orlais, for Wynne, source: Pile of Books at Senior Mage Quarters (Second Floor).
Water-Stained Portrait, for Sten, source: Charred Corpse at Senior Mage Quarters (Second Floor).
White Runestone, for Alistair, source: Boss Drop Abomination at Great Hall (Third Floor).
Small Gold Bar, for Zevran, source: Drop off Charmed Templar in the Great Hall (Third Floor) or Templar Quarters (Fourth Floor).
Beef Bone, for Dog, source: Chest Templar Quarters (Fourth Floor).
Sun Blonde Vint-1, for Oghren, source: Vanity at Templar Quarters (Fourth Floor).
Companion remarks
A companion may interject a comment upon certain triggers:
- Entering the Senior Mage Quarters
- Entering Irving's study
- Entering the Great Hall
- Collecting the fourth note for Watchguard of the Reaching
- Collecting the last note for Watchguard of the Reaching
- Passing corruption (the bizarre 'growths' overlapping with walls, doors and gore) in the Templars' Quarters
- Approaching Cullen
- Defeating Shah Wyrd
Banter
Party banter may be triggered at the following spots:
- The first corridor in the Apprentice Quarters.
Bugs
- After the player finishes the quest Broken Circle and asks First Enchanter Irving if Dagna can join magic classes, there might be a minor bug if you return to the Circle Tower without going to Orzammar Commons to tell her that she was accepted. She may already be there waiting for the Warden; when told she can join she will return to Orzammar but will act as if she is in the Tower.
Notes
- A First Enchanter Arden is mentioned in Codex entry: The Journal of Enchanter Wilhelm. It's not clear if this is meant to be the same person as First Enchanter Arlen, mentioned elsewhere in the same DLC and, if so, which is the correct name.
Gallery
References
- ↑ Kinloch Hold. BioWare wiki.
- ↑ Codex entry: Mana and the Use of Magic
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 88
- ↑ Codex entry: A Decades-Old Letter
- ↑ Codex entry: Extracurricular Studies
- ↑ According to the item description for Oven Mitts.
|