Before I even read the actual contents of Rhiannon Bevan’s interview with David Gaider, I just knew there would be some bullshit. I’m too familiar with his brand of white liberalism by now not to expect it. And yet, somehow, it still caught me off guard to hear this part in particular:
Despite all of this, Gaider doesn’t regret having the mage and templar conflict put forward. “You can make lots of arguments as to how well we supported either side of that argument; however, we knew going in that there was an argument to be made about the mages and templars, freedom versus security,” he says. “I know people wanted to keep tying this to real-world arguments, but real people don't walk around and explode.
“It feels dehumanizing to do it, but in some ways, the argument had more in common with gun control than the right to self-determination of the mages,” he continues.
As I said, I am familiar with this kind of disavowing from Gaider – he’s done the same thing many times before. The man loves to take credit when someone praises his work for nuance, but then retract everything the moment someone else questions anything about it. He has incredibly thin skin and only wants fans to count whatever is most convenient for him to say in the present. I don’t need a crystal ball to predict that if ever asked again, he’ll find another new way of denying anything of sociopolitical substance in the Dragon Age franchise he’s been a part of.
This particular example though, the claim that the Mage-Templar conflict is a metaphor for gun control? This is his flimsiest attempt to derail the actual messages pulled from the text yet. The interview speaks of Dragon Age II (DA2) specifically, so I will stick to confine my own sources against his statement to the game as well. Even still, it is easy enough to show just how pathetic a claim gun control is as metaphor, and worse yet, to insinuate that fans are simply delusional to see real-world arguments at work. If Gaider did not want the Mage-Templar conflict to be tied to real-world arguments, perhaps he should have, as the lead writer of DA2, kept the team from including observably robust real-world parallels.
Freedom vs. Security
Part of Gaider’s claim is that the Mage-Templar conflict is about “freedom versus security”. The immediate problem with this statement is that he is neglecting to include the context of, freedom for who and security for who? When people talk about freedom vs. security in real life, it is usually in reference to things like government surveillance and police presence. In such cases, there is an important difference in context that separates these real arguments and whatever the hell Gaider thinks he’s saying: the people in question are the same. In real life, it is the same group of people suffering from lack of freedom in favour their own so-called security. In Dragon Age, it is the mages that suffer from lack of freedom, for the sake of other people’s so-called security. This means it is not actually an argument of freedom vs. security—it is an argument of freedom vs. oppression. One group (non-mages) is solely benefiting in security through the oppression of another group (mages).
Some may attempt to justify it by saying that the Circles are in place to protect mages from outsiders, too. My rebuttal is quite simple: who teaches the average person to hate and fear mages in the first place? The very same Chantry that seeks to maintain control over their arsenal of mages! Of course they want to “protect” mages and non-mages from each other; it is a way of keeping the mages isolated and biddable.
Arguments in favour of security are of course, very often and easily used as a front for arguments in favour of oppression, don’t get me wrong. This is especially commonplace when colonial governments claim they are here to help, because they know better. But let us not help misconstrue these two connections further by contributing the problem, acting like they are actually the same thing.
Real-World Arguments
There are only two conclusions I can draw from Gaider saying that it is just the fans “wanting” to see real-world arguments, within the Mage-Templar conflict: Either he has forgotten the contents of a game he was the lead writer for, or he is desperate for fans to forget ourselves. Because you do not have to dig to find the real-world arguments already laying on the surface.
What is the Mage Underground, if not a real-world metaphor for escaping enslavement?
The Mage Underground is a network of people helping mages escape the Gallows into freedom. The quest introducing this faction is literally called “The Underground Railroad” – a clear reference to the real life Underground Railroad; the network that assisted Black people escape enslavement in the United States. As the real life railroad was mostly led by free and enslaved Black people with the help of abolitionists, the mage’s railroad is mostly led by mages with the help of sympathetic non-mages.
The Gallows itself was a former gateway for enslaved people when controlled by the Tevinter Imperium, and the Chantry even chose to keep the statues meant to intimidate the slaves. Cullen himself will draw a parallel to Kirkwall’s history of slavery and the current mages held captive in the Gallows. “The image of the poor, chained apprentice is a powerful one. And one the mages are more than willing to exploit,” he says, while the camera hovers over said statues.
What is the Tranquil Solution, if not a real-world metaphor for the “Final Solution”?
In the quest “Dissent”, Anders shares with Hawke that a templar named Ser Alrik has penned what he refers to as “The Tranquil Solution” – a plan to turn every mage Tranquil. “The Tranquil Solution” is a clear reference to “The Final Solution”; a euphemism used by Nazis to mean the genocidal murder of Jewish people. While Tranquility is not outright murder, the plan of turning every single mage Tranquil would qualify as an act of genocide as well. The definition of genocide does, after all, include causing serious bodily or mental harm with intent to destroy a whole group of people. The Tranquil are mages who are not just stripped of magic, but of all emotion and partial mental capacity. They are depicted as helpless servants to the Chantry. They are routinely raped and abused by Templars like Alrik, who outright alludes to this himself, saying when he makes a mage girl Tranquil, she will be forced to do whatever he wants.
Further complementing this allegory are the “Templar Death Squads” in the quest “A Noble Agenda”.
These death squads, described as hand-picked zealots to “purge mage-sympathizers”, are likely referencing the Einsatzgruppen; the Nazi Death Squads that held an integral role in the “Final Solution”.
What is forced sedation, if not a real-world metaphor for involuntary treatment?
During the quest “Best Served Cold,” Hawke has the opportunity to convince Cullen to be merciful on those who were part of the conspiracy to oust Meredith as Knight-Commander. Later, Cullen says that the mages have been “confined to their quarters and sedated”. Essentially, they are treated like detained patients against their will.
My own brother has been a victim of involuntary treatment, where he was kept in a psych ward for two months and drugged so heavily he was walking into walls. It is a very real contemporary occurrence just as much as in the past, especially for racialized populations who are diagnosed with “dangerous” conditions—bipolar disorder, in my brother’s case.
Just how conditions like bipolar disorder for example, are often misunderstood as walking around with a bomb inside, mages in Dragon Age are treated like they are an inherent hazard to everyone around them. Arguments in favour of imprisoning mages, or even outright murdering them all, most frequently come down to seeing them as weapons rather than people. When Cullen himself says this, it is unquestionably presented as a cruel, dehumanizing, immoral position to take. Being able to use magic does not make a person less of a person, just like having a disability does not make a person less of a person! No matter the scale of how impacting disabilities are, or magic is.
Gun Control
I wish I could tell Gaider that if he has to start a sentence with, “it feels dehumanising to do it,” perhaps the rest of that sentence should stop. Perhaps instead you should question why you actually believe it is ever a solid argument to dehumanize a person. Mages are not real, but their real-world parallels are. BioWare went out of its way to draw those parallels; the writers, including Gaider, made active choices to illustrate everything above and more. To be clear, I am not saying they shouldn’t have—I believe these choices add a distinct flavour to the world-building of Dragon Age that separates it from many other fantasy settings. And while the writing does not always land well, at least an attempt was made to say something impactful. I will always favour that over choosing to take the easy-way out by scrubbing your work of anything that could be interpretable as day I say, politically progressive.
Measures to prevent gun violence usually involve firearms laws to limit misuse. These laws are of course incapable of being 100% iron-clad, because there will always be outliers to any situation. However, it is proven to overall limit the amount of gun violence in countries with strict firearms laws compared to, well, the United States. (The US gun homicide rate is 26 times that of other high-income countries.)
What firearms laws do not do, is require anyone with a gun to be abducted from their family and locked up in a prison for the rest of their life. That is what the Chantry does to mages in Dragon Age, and they do not even have a choice in the matter. Mages are not guns. Mages are people who just happen to have magic, and it does not even take magic to cause mass harm, as proven time and again across the franchise and even specifically just in DA2. For example, in the quest “Blackpowder Courtesy” an angry elf is able to kill off an entire area of Lowtown with stolen Qunari poison.
The only characters who want to compare the Mage-Templar conflict to something like gun control, are the characters who are part of the actual problem of mage self-determination; the ones like Cullen who advocate against treating mages as people. By trying to say that this line of thinking is valid, Gaider is only showing that he has a complete lack of understanding of what makes the argument so villainous. He just sounds like certain fans of a show like The Boys, who unironically idolize fascist characters like Homelander. (Sidenote: I have never personally seen The Boys. I am just familiar with the main villain and how real-life fascists sympathize with him through internet osmosis.)
In a roleplaying sense, there is of course nothing wrong with having a characters side with the Templar Order. I am not advocating for treating roleplaying decisions as if they represent real life morals. However, this is a specific case where Gaider is not speaking in terms of in-universe; he is genuinely saying that the argument against mages is a virtuous one. Except it’s not! It is so unmistakeably not.
“You have a sword. Why aren't you killing someone right now?”
—Bethany Hawke
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SOURCES:
Codex entry: Kirkwall - The Gallows
Quest: “The Underground Railroad”
Quest: “Dissent”
Quest: “A Noble Agenda”
Quest: “Blackpowder Courtesy”
Dialogue: Cullen during and after completing the quest “Enemies Among Us”
Dialogue: Cullen after completing the quest “Best Served Cold”
The writers weren’t spared cuts, either. Although their deadlines fell earlier in the project, some of their completed work was for scenes or quests that the other development teams were running out of time to complete, and so had to be cut at the eleventh hour. Kirby wrote an entire series of quests involving Varric and the Carta (a dwarven crime syndicate) that was complete in its entirety, but never saw the light of day because there was no time for level design and cinematics to build it. “That was a painful one,” Gaider admitted. “We always say, ‘We’ll put it aside, and maybe use it later.’ But we never do.” An entire tutorial section of the prologue, in which the player got to know Bethany and Carver, was also cut for time. The game now began with the Hawke family already fleeing Lothering, making the sibling’s death shocking, but not tragic, as the player never really has a chance to get to know them.
takes place before DA2 while he was still alone on the run
Amazing fan made video recreation of this short story in DA toolset and you can still watch it on youtube :)
and here is David's actual story:
****
The hunters were after him again.
Truth be told, he’d known for several days. He’d seen it in the eyes of the innkeeper, the way the fat man guiltily glanced away and refused to meet his gaze.
He’d seen it in the pitying look of the whore that stood on the corner, and the way she covered it up with a smile. The patrons in that squalid tavern where he went to buy his meals grew quiet when he entered now, and it was not the uncomfortable silence of human townsfolk being confronted with a strange elf covered in strange skin markings and carrying a large sword—rather it was the silence of men who knew trouble had just walked through the door and were now doing their best to pretend it didn’t exist. Fenris knew the difference very well.
He’d been lazy. Despite the fact that he’d known, still part of him refused to admit that it was so. He’d hoped against hope that he was wrong, that the signs were simply a fugitive’s paranoia. His stay in the last three towns had been longer and longer, his efforts to cover up his distinctive markings almost nonexistent. He told himself that this was a challenge. Let them come. Let them try and take him back, if they dared. Deep down, however, he wondered if he hadn’t simply grown weary of the chase.
Now was the time. He’d already cleaned his few meager possessions out of his room at the inn and jumped out the window. It led to a dark alley in the back, with enough ledges below that a quick descent was easily accomplished. That was why Fenris had chosen the room after an inspection that had the innkeeper staring at him in worry. He almost had to wonder how long it would take the fat man before curiosity, or a lack of payment, would lead him to check and find Fenris gone. A week, perhaps less if the innkeeper was the one who’d sold him out.
There was nothing in the alley save for a few lone rats and an elven vagrant asleep against a garbage heap. Fenris paused and stared at the man in disgust. He’d thought to blend in more once he’d escaped the Imperium. In a land where elves were free, certainly one more elf would go unnoticed? He’d been a fool, of course. How was he to know that so many of his people would squander their freedom living like frightened cattle? If his only choices were to either dress as meekly as the local humans expected their elves to be, run off to find the wandering clans that grubbed in the dirt for whatever scraps the human kingdoms threw them, or to fight… then his choice was clear.
The vagrant stirred awake as Fenris drew the greatsword from his back. The elf squealed in sudden terror but Fenris ignored him. There were others coming now, cloaked in the alley’s shadows—at least two on either side and… one above? He listened, and heard the faintest scraping on the clay tiles up above. Yes, no doubt a crossbowman. They thought they had him pinned.
Fenris launched himself towards the end of the alley that led away from the main street. Here it led into a maze of twisty courtyards, sewage and lines of hung laundry… but it would be darker there, easier for him to run without stirring the town guard. Why the hunters never tried bribing the guard to help their hunt he couldn’t say. Regardless, he’d run amiss of the guard in another town and they’d impeded his efforts to escape as much as they impeded the hunters. It wasn’t worth the risk.
The vagrant shouted in fear and drunkenly scrambled to his feet, but Fenris was already past him. Two long figures approached, barely visible but moving fast now as they realized their quarry was aware of the chase. Fenris caught a glimpse of maroon. Tevinter soldiers, then. Good, that would make this easier. Not that he wouldn’t have killed mercenaries just as easily, but it was less pleasant than slaughtering dogs like these.
A wide arc of his blade knocked the first hunter aside as he parried. The second rushed forward, hoping to take advantage of an opening—only to meet Fenris’s fist. The markings on his skin flashed brightly, the lyrium within them sending magic crawling through his flesh, and his fist phased through the man’s helmet and directly into his head. He lurched to a halt, stunned with terror.
So they weren’t warned. Fools.
The lyrium markings flashed again as Fenris partially solidified his fist. The hunter jolted back, blood gushing forth from his mouth and his ears. By now the first hunter was already recovered and swinging his blade. Fenris expertly hauled the second around by his head, putting him into the path of the swing. The sword chopped deeply into the man’s shoulder, and with a kick he sent both of them flying together into the brick wall. His fist was covered in dark red gore.
He would have stayed to finish them off, but the other hunters were already figuring things out. A crossbow bolt flew by Fenris’s head, barely nicking one of his ears, and he could hear the booted feet of more soldiers rushing his way. He ran into the alleyway, leaping over the hunter who struggled to push off his dead comrade, and sped into the maze. Dark doorways flew by as he raced. He cut down clotheslines and tossed over barrels to present obstacles behind him. They were definitely giving chase—he could hear them swearing in Tevinter, and the crossbowman above scrambling to get into position.
The first pair of open shutters he saw and Fenris dived through. He landed in a kitchen filled with the smell of baking bread, and a human woman screamed as he rolled to his feet. No doubt the sight of an elf in skintight armor, carrying a blade almost as large as himself, wasn’t a welcome sight. He got to his feet and noticed the surprisingly comely woman, dressed in a nightgown that revealed more of her cleavage than she no doubt expected, pressing against the wall.
He grinned at her, and she screamed again. So he grabbed a freshly-baked loaf off the counter and raced for the front door of the hovel. Already a soldier was climbing through the window, causing the woman to scream once more and faint dead away. The others would be coming around to the front, so he had to get out before…
…he stopped cold. He knew the man who stood at the doorway: maroon cloak and jet-black hair barely covering those soulless eyes. Not to mention a scar on his neck, one that Fenris had put there. Damned healing potions and their foul magic. Why couldn’t anyone stay dead?
“Avanna, Fenris. Good to see you again.” The hunter’s voice was a cold purr as he raised his crossbow and pointed the bolt at Fenris’s chest. The one on the roof, then. Clever.
“Considering what happened last time, I’m surprised you decided to try again.”
“It’s not just about the coin any longer, slave.” Oh, how Fenris loved it when they said that. “Not afraid you’ll lose your head for good?”
“Not when we have the drop on you. You’ve become careless. Time to give yourself up.” The other hunter had made it through the window, and he could hear others shouting in the street. He supposed that he really had only two choices: give up and hope for a chance to escape later… or take his chances.
It wasn’t really a choice. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade and smiled at the hunter, slow and deadly.
David Gaider was doing press, pitching a project (understandable because it’s extremely hard to get funding for Indie games these days speaking as someone who’s been somewhat following his journey after BioWare and diligently reading industry news). I guess he mentioned wanting to work with Owlcat (who has a publishing division now btw). I saw Slandered Gaming’s video covering this, and he’s a pretty normal RPG YouTuber, one of the better ones even. But all the comments were like “stay away from Owlcat” or some shit.
I was confused but then pieced together that Gamers are still pissed about Veilguard - a game most of them never played - in big 2026. Gaider did not even have anything to do with the game nor did he play it - so he’s even more qualified to speak on it than the Gamers who also never played it, as the creator of the franchise. But that just makes him an accomplice in Veilgaurd’s crime of destroying gaming in Gamers’ eyes, an opinion fed to them by the Epistein class.
Gamers are the worst species. Not all gamers but always a Gamer.
what's that one post that's like "you know a showrunner was committing war crimes when the entire fandom knows them by name". this applies to video games too I think
Dorian Pavus is the most realistic character in the series and I can prove it.
1 - He wants to be himself. And he won’t accept pretending just to please people.
2 - He complains ALL. THE. TIME. Just like anyone would living in a cold, dirty and much more rustic place than his home.
3 - He doesn’t fall in love right away. He wants to get to know the person first, regardless if it’s the Inquisitor or The Iron Bull, and become friends. He’s not aiming for love, just wishes (even though he will never admit it) someone he can trust.
4 - He sees the flaws. The problems. In everyone. But he learns to love them anyway.
5 - He doesn’t change who he is because of the person he loves. He will still be a sassy, proud and passionate man no matter who he ends up with.
