- For the Circles run by the Orlesian Chantry, see Circle of Magi.
Before it became the Imperium, Tevinter was ruled by a dynasty of kings. And long before the Chantry there was a Circle of Magi: the society of mages in each city.
The Imperial Circle of Magi is the dominant organization for the training of mages within the Tevinter Imperium. The Imperial Divine is the official leader of both the Imperial Circle and the Imperial Chantry.
Background[]
In Tevinter, attendance to a Circle is a privilege[1] and Tevinter Circles act as prestigious academies.[2] How much power and comfort afforded to a Circle mage depends on where they fall in Tevinter's hierarchy. While mages do rule Tevinter, not all mages are equal. At the top are Magisters—figures of real power in Tevinter. All other mages serve at their pleasure, and any mage not of proper lineage has no influence outside of that which personal wealth and talent provide.[3] If a mage is not from the right family, chances are they have no power at all. Most mages from humble origins only end up in inconsequential positions that grant them few opportunities, effectively making them second-class citizen among cutthroat peers in the Circle of Magi. Nevertheless, Tevinter legend is chock-full of mage heroes from humble origins so there is always hope that they can rise through the ranks—even as improbable as their chances may be.[4]
History[]
The Circle of Magi first formed as a society of mages in each city of the ancient Tevinter Imperium. The titles modern Circles use—enchanter, senior enchanter, First Enchanter—all originated there,[5] and the Circles were where the most powerful mages researched and practiced magic.
Ten years to the day after Andraste's death, Archon Hessarian converted to the Chant of Light, claiming that he had heard the voice of the Maker when his blade had touched Andraste, and the beginnings of the religion took root. He declared the Maker the one true god, made Andrastianism the religion of the Imperium, and publicly revealed Maferath's betrayal. Most of the high-ranking clergy, including nearly all of the ruling Altus magisters, refused to give up their Old Gods, but the non-mage Soporati class overwhelmingly supported Hessarian, beginning a period known as the Transfiguration. With the High Priests dead, Hessarian repurposed the Old God temples into schools for mages.[6][7]
Involvement[]
Dragon Age: Asunder[]
Dragon Age: Inquisition[]
Dorian Pavus hails from the Tevinter Imperium; he had studied at a number of Imperial Circles, eventually achieving the rank of Enchanter from the Minrathous Circle.
Known Circles of Magi[]
The seven[8] Circles of Magi in Tevinter are under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Chantry.
Nation Location Details Tevinter Carastes One of the most prestigious academies of magi in the eastern Imperium.[9] Tevinter Minrathous A former Temple of Razikale,[7] the oldest Circle of Magi in Thedas,[5][10] housing the largest library of arcane knowledge, the Arcanist Hall,[11] and the College of Antiquities that handles ancient manuscripts.[12] Seat of power for the magisters, the Imperial Senators, and the Imperial Archon. Tevinter Vyrantium Referenced in Codex entry: The Venatori; mentioned by Dorian.[13]
Hierarchy[]
Names of the ranks within the Circle hierarchy originated in the ancient Tevinter Imperium. The Circle of Magi under the Orlesian Chantry continues to use the same titles.[5]
- Imperial Divine – the Imperial Divine is the ultimate leader of the Imperial Circle; they are chosen from the ranks of the first enchanters and operate simultaneously as Divine and Grand Enchanter.[14]
- Magister – in the time of the ancient Tevinter Imperium, the rank of magister existed above first enchanter as the top representative of each society of mages and they would regularly convene in Minrathous; after Darinius claimed the title of archon, the Court of the Magisters became the royal court, and "magister" became a political position;[5] all Circles outside Tevinter have abolished this rank; all grand clerics of the Imperial Chantry are members of one of Tevinter's Circle of Magi and have a seat on the Magisterium.[15]
- First Enchanter – the leader of a given Circle; first enchanters are ineligible for seats in the Magisterium.[8]
- Senior Enchanter – the most experienced mages present in each circle who serve as advisors to the first enchanter; senior echanters are eligible for seats in the Magisterium.[8]
- Enchanter – mages who passed the tests to become an Enchanter at one of the Imperial Circles.[16]
Notable members[]
- Crassius Servis – originally a Minrathous Circle Mage[17]
- Dorian Pavus – first attended the Circle at Carastes, then moved from Circle to Circle due to conflicts with other students, eventually passed the tests to become a fully-ranked Enchanter in the Minrathous Circle after a period of tutoring under Gereon Alexius[18]
- Gereon Alexius – a professor of thaumaturgy at the Minrathous Circle[19]
- Livia Arida – Gereon Alexius' research partner and a specialist in studies of the Veil[19]
Codex entries[]
References[]
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
