The Harrowing Chamber
The Harrowing is a test that every apprentice mage must go through to become a full member of the Circle of Magi. It is practiced throughout most of Thedas, with Tevinter employing a similar test whereby parents directly oversee their children's harrowing.[1][2][3] Exactly what happens during the Harrowing is kept a secret from apprentices and people outside of the Circle.[4]
Background
The Harrowing is a secretive rite of passage that is the cause of much fear and speculation among apprentices. All of their training and apprenticeship is meant to prepare them for the test, though they are never told what the test consists of or when they will be made to take it and as such must always be ready. When deemed ready by the enchanters, the apprentice is taken without warning or preparation to face the Harrowing. Apprentices generally go through the Harrowing in late adolescence or early adulthood.[4][5][6]
Age at Harrowing, from youngest to oldest:
- Wynne – 16 years old, almost 17; noted to be years ahead of many of her peers[7]
- Rhys – around 18-19 years old[8]
- Vivienne – before 19 years old; noted to be one of the youngest full-fledged mages in Circle history[9]
- Malcolm Hawke – 19 years old; noted to have hidden his true talents to match the pace of his fellow apprentices[10]
- Bethany Hawke – 20 years old; as a former apostate, she was made to go through the Harrowing as soon as she arrived in the Circle[11]
Those who succeed the Harrowing earn the title and trappings of a mage, becoming a full member of the Circle. Those who fail are never seen or heard from again.[4][12]
A failed Harrowing[13]
Apprentices may choose to be made Tranquil instead of undergoing their Harrowing.[14] Apprentices who are deemed too weak or dangerous may be denied the Harrowing and made Tranquil outright.[15] Apostates who have never taken their Harrowing are usually made to undergo the test as soon as they are taken to the Circle.[11]
Since passing the Harrowing theoretically proves that a mage is capable enough to resist possession, Chantry law forbids mages who passed their Harrowing from being made Tranquil.[16][17]
The rite
The rite itself is fairly simple. First, the apprentice is taken to the Harrowing Chamber, where numerous senior spellcasters and templars stand ready.[6] The Knight-Commander reads a passage from the Chant of Light.[18] Then the apprentice submerges their hands in a bowl of lyrium[19] to project their mind into the Fade.[17] There, the subject must face and overcome a demon that wishes to possess the apprentice's body and enter the living realm. This involves navigating whatever challenges have been set up and seeing through whatever ruse the demon puts on. The demon itself would have been summoned by Circle mages to the same part of the Fade the apprentice enters, lured by the promise of a living body waiting for it. The Harrowing is more a test of will, common sense, and the ability to resist temptation, than one of magical ability.
If the apprentice is overwhelmed by the demon (or, some say, takes too long to complete the task), they are killed by templars, who are standing by to prevent the tragedy of an abomination. One templar, who remains unidentified to the mages present, is assigned the killing blow in advance, while the rest keep danger at bay and stand ready to replace the 'designated slayer' if necessary.[20]
Upon successful completion of their Harrowing, a mage is traditionally given a ring of lyrium-infused silver.
Codex entries
Codex entry: The Harrowing- Codex entry: Journal of the Tranquil
- Codex entry: The Tranquil
- Codex entry: Walking the Fade: A Harrowing
Trivia
See also
References
- ↑ Dorian's experience during Here Lies the Abyss.
- ↑ In Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights Three Trees to Midnight, Myrion mentions taking a test on resisting demons during which a desire demon took the form of a boy he liked.
- ↑ Dragon Age: Absolution
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Codex entry: The Harrowing
- ↑ Codex entry: The Tranquil
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 As seen in the Magi Origin.
- ↑
Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 88
- ↑ 38-year-old Rhys reminisces about his Harrowing, "almost twenty years ago." Dragon Age: Asunder, Chapter 3
- ↑ She transferred to the Montsimmard Circle as a full-fledged mage at nineteen. Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 235
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, pp. 147-148
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Letter: Family Letters
- ↑ Dragon Age: Asunder, Chapter 3
- ↑ Image from Dragon Age RPG Player's Guide, set 2, p. 63.
- ↑ Codex entry: Journal of the Tranquil
- ↑ As was the plan for Jowan.
- ↑ According to Hawke and Anders during Dissent and an unnamed NPC in the Gallows.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 100
- ↑ As done by Greagoir during the Magi Origin and in the story told by a mage Trevelyan Inquisitor during the game of Wicked Grace at Skyhold in Dragon Age: Inquisition: "It was the night of my Harrowing. I was standing in the middle of a room full of templars and senior enchanters. As the knight-commander read me the Chant, I got the nagging feeling something was missing..."
- ↑ As depicted by Rezaren Ammosine's Harrowing in Dragon Age: Absolution, episode 4.
- ↑ Cullen Rutherford is identified as the templar who was assigned to execute the mage in the Magi Origin if they failed their Harrowing.
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Background
The Harrowing (Quest) is the first sub-quest of the Mage Origin story, "In the High Tower of the Mages". It starts immediately after the opening animation, at the end of which you touch the lyrium and go into the fade where daemons walk around.
Walkthrough
The Fade
The Fade: you will start in the area at the top right of the map.
... find yourself in the Fade.
Start: You will start at the top right (north east) of the map. To your left, you can find a Vase of Healing containing Shimmering Orbs of Light. These can be used to heal yourself whilst in the Fade but will vanish from your inventory once you complete your Harrowing, so don't be afraid to use them. Next to the Vase is a Disturbing Statue that can be interacted with to obtain Codex Entry: Beyond the Veil: Spirits and Demons. Progress through the Fade to find a few Wisp Wraiths that attack with lightning spells. Fortunately they come at you one at a time, and shouldn't require more than an Arcane Bolt and, at worst, one more damage spell or a slap to kill.
Mouse: Along the way, you will meet what appears to be a talking rat, who will introduce himself as Mouse (if asked, he will explain he's been in the Fade so long he has forgotten his real name). Mouse tells you he was once an apprentice like you, but that he was murdered by the Templars for failing to complete his Harrowing. He will explain a bit about the Fade, your test and inform you that there are other spirits around. Just past where you meet Mouse, there is an open area to your right. Mouse will explain that this is where the demon you are to face will manifest. There is a Lyrium Vein you can interact with to receive Codex Entry: Lyrium. The Lyrium Vein will replenish itself and can also be used to restore some mana during the battle to come.
Spirit of Valor: There is still preparation to do before this battle, so proceed westwards. The path will open up again. Up a slope to your right, you can find another Vase of healing with more Shimmering Orbs of Light and a Twisted Structure you can interact with to receive Codex Entry: The Black City. Across the path, you can meet the Spirit of Valor, who if you ask him if he created the weapons you can see, will tell you he can create weapons from his willpower alone. If you ask him for a staff, Valor will challenge you to a duel. To obtain Valor's Staff, you can take him up on this challenge and win the duel. Alternatively, you can use your Willpower and accuse him of trying to kill you himself, then demand he prove his good intentions by helping you. Progress onwards, and fight a few spirit wolves. Remember to equip your new staff! It is also possible to kill him for exp after you take the staff.
Sloth: At the far west of the area, you will meet a Sloth Demon in the shape of a Bereskarn. If you talk to him he will agree to teach Mouse to take on his form. You can either fight Sloth or agree to answer his riddles. If you get a riddle wrong, you'll have to fight him. The answers to his riddles are, in order, "a map", "my tongue" and "a dream". After you defeat Sloth or guess his riddles, he will teach Mouse to turn into a bear (though not a bereskarn) then go back to sleep. Mouse will now join your party, rather than simply follow you. If you've not done so already, you may wish to talk to him a bit more to find out what else he has to say about the Fade and how he came to be trapped. It is also possible to fight and defeat him for exp after Mouse learns to turn into bear.
Spirit of Rage: Now your preparations are complete, double back toward the middle of the map. More spirit wolves will attack you - but now you have Mouse in bear form on your side. The Spirit of Rage now appears in the central area you passed earlier. After some dialogue, battle will ensue. Four Wisp Wraiths will join the fight (you can ignore these and focus on the Spirit of Rage - as once it is defeated the battle will cease - or try to take them out for a bit more experience. Remember the Lyrium Vein, if you haven't already used it. If you have them, ice spells are very effective against the fiery Spirit of Rage. If not, then Mouse in his bear form should be able to occupy the Spirit of Rage whilst you cast spells or use your staff from afar. Don't forget the healing Shimmering Orbs of Light, which will shortly become useless for anything else, and which Mouse can also use.
Completing the test: Once the Spirit of Rage has been defeated, Mouse will want to discuss a proposal ... but it swiftly becomes clear that Mouse isn't the timid little individual he pretended to be. Once you make clear you see through Mouse's ruse, he will shift into his true form (whilst this is not shown on screen, its implied size and a fair bit of Mouse's dialogue suggest he is really a Pride Demon). Unmasking Mouse, it turns out, was the true test, which you have now passed. There appears to be no way in which to fail this test (even if it would have meant death via templars), as all the dialogue options end up with the demon showing itself.
Characters
- Mouse
- Spirit of Valor
- A demon called Sloth (probably not the same individual as the Sloth met later in the campaign)
- Spirit of Rage (a Rage Demon)
Enemies
- Wisp Wraiths
- Spirit Wolves (see Wolf)
Codex's
Codex Entry: First Enchanter Irving
Codex Entry: Knight-Commander Greagoir
Codex Entry: The Harrowing
Codex entry: Beyond the Veil: Spirits and Demons
Codex Entry: Wisp
Codex Entry: Wolf
Codex Entry: Lyrium
Codex Entry: The Black City
- Depending on what actions are taken, various Controls codex entries
Result
You wake up in bed the next morning, to find Jowan hovering over you. You can now become A Mage of the Circle.
See Also
Gallery
