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The Dragon Age franchise has never made it easy to take sides in the contflict between the mages and the templars. Before the events of Inquisition launched, the tension between the two factions reached its breaking point, resulting in a destructive war that promised to tear Thedas to pieces. When searching for allies against whatever threat caused the tragedy at the Temple of Sacred Ashes that opened the Breach, the Herald of Andraste was given a choice between the templars and the mages.
“In Hushed Whispers” becomes available after completing the quest “The Threat Remains” and is available to unlock once the player has accumulated 15 power points. The recommended level for this quest is between four and seven. Once the quest has been launched, it will no longer be possible to work with the templars, so choose carefully.
Mission: Meet With the Mages at Redcliffe
After launching the quest, travel to the Hinterlands and head toward Redcliffe to meet with the mages. Upon approaching the gate outside Redcliffe, the party encounters a strange disturbance as a Fade rift opens up and begins spewing demons out as well as creating temporal distortions around it. These distortions are represented by green and yellow circles on the ground, with the green circles slowing people who step into them down and the yellow circles speeding them up. Once the rift has been closed, the gates open up, but the Inquisition forces on the other side claim no one was expecting them.
A mage named Lysas arrives to announce that Magister Alexius is in charge, but they are free to meet with Grand Enchanter Fiona at the tavern while they wait for him. Travel to the tavern, where, once more, it seems no one was expecting the Herald. Fiona claims that she’s never met the player character before and hasn’t been to Val Royeaux since before the Conclave. She also announces that the rebel mages have indentured themselves to the Tevinter Imperium. If Vivienne is in the party and the player tells Fiona that was a mistake, they can earn her approval.
Magister Gereon Alexius and his son Felix arrive to negotiate with the Herald for the mages’ assistance against the Breach. However, before they can truly begin negotiations, a sickly Felix stumbles into the Herald and hands them a secret note to meet him at the Chantry, as they are in danger. Concerned for his son, Alexius leaves negotiations, and the Herald can then enter the Chantry.
Mission: Go to the Chantry
Before leaving the tavern, search the building to find a few codexes to, earn XP and take a moment to speak with a Tranquil mage named Clemence. He can be recruited into the Inquisition. There is also a mage named Linnea nearby, and engaging with her in conversation can earn approval from Sera, Vivienne and Cassandra if the player agrees mages should be controlled or disapproval if they tell her mages should be free.
Head outside and left toward the chantry. Inside the building, there is an open Fade rift and a mysterious mage fighting off the demons. Join the fight and close the rift, then speak to the mage, who introduces himself as Dorian Pavus. He proceeds to explain his relationship to Alexius and how the Magister arrived before the Inquisition to take charge of the mages. If Vivienne is in the party and the player asks for evidence of his claims, she will slightly approve. Moments later, Felix arrives to confirm Dorian’s story.
Felix notes that his father got involved with a deadly group of supremacists called the Venatori, and whatever activity he’s been involved in has been in effort to get to the Herald of Andraste. If Varric is in the party and the Herald chooses the “I’m flattered” response, he will slightly approve of the snark. Dorian follows the Herald back to Haven, where they determine their approach to meeting with Alexius, which everyone agrees is a trap.
Mission: Trapped In Time
From this point forward in the mission, Dorian is a required squadmate, and only two others can be chosen. Arriving at Redcliffe Castle, Leliana’s agents plan to infiltrate through a secret passage in the windmill while the Herald distracts Alexius. While speaking to Alexius, he mentions a deal he made with the Elder One to cure his son, Felix. Sera, The Iron Bull or Solas are the only squadmates who have approval options for the chosen dialogue with Alexius, so if they are on not present, no approval or disapproval is earned.
When confronting Alexius about his time magic, he will create a rift. As Dorian attempts to counterspell it, it forces the Herald and Dorian into a time portal that lands them in a dystopian future where the Elder One reigns and red lyrium covers everything. In the lower dungeons, the pair come face to face with two guards. Defeat them to launch a cutscene with that ends with Dorian and the Herald agreeing to figure out what happened.
Loot the prison guard for the key to the cell and head up the stairs on the left for a dead end with some loot. Return to the landing and take the other set of stairs, which lead to a prison area where the mage, Lysas, is contained. Interact with him before moving on to reach a cavern area guarded by enemies. Take them out and head north on the path to find the other two members of the party in prison cells. They are disoriented, believing the Herald was dead, but they can be freed and will join on the rest of the mission. Fiona can also be encountered in a cell, and she confirms it is one year from the date of their meeting with Alexius.
Mission: Find Leliana
Head back to the central area with the drawbridge and take out the Venatori there before proceeding up the stairs to the guard barracks. There are multiple rooms to explore and loot in this area, and supply caches to replenish potions. Once the area has been cleared out, head up the stairs on the left to the torture chambers. Battle the torturer and loot the body.
Continue forward to open the last door and launch a cutscene of Leliana snapping the torturer’s neck with her thighs. After freeing her, grab the key from the dead torturer and head back out to the barracks and the locked door on the right. This leads outside to the docks and the courtyard of Redcliffe Castle. There are enemies and open rifts in this area that need to be closed before proceeding into the castle.
Enter the Upper Royal Wing and open the door on the right. If Connor is alive, he may be encountered here before committing suicide to avoid becoming an abomination. Loot the area for journals and the Circle of Magi banner, then proceed to the area with the Rift to close it. Once the demons have been eliminated and the Rift closed, open the gate and head up into the next area.
There is a locked door that can only be opened with five red lyrium shards. The player and party will have to battle through enemies in the main area and up the stairs on both sides of the room to access the upper levels and track down the spellbinder enemies carrying the rest of the shards. There is loot upstairs, as well as hidden rooms and some Venatori zealots, so use stealth whenever possible. Once all the shards have been collected, head back down to the door to confront Alexius.
Mission: Confront Alexius and Fix Time
Regardless of dialogue options, the party will have to defeat Alexius to restore time. He is a relatively powerful mage, however he is not immune to physical attacks, so take advantage of attacks that knock him down or chill him. Once his health is diminished by one-third, he puts up a barrier and a rift opens. Take care of the demons and the rift, then return focus to Alexius. Note that there are temporal distortions on the floor, so be wary of stepping into them. Once Alexius’ health is down two-thirds, another barrier and more rifts will appear. Deal with them, then finish him off. Once he’s defeated, the Herald and Dorian can return to the present and decide how to accept the mages into the Inquisition.
Making the mages allies garners approval from Solas, Dorian, Cole (even though he’s not yet there), Varric (if Hawke sided with the mages in DA2) and Blackwall, while the others will disapprove. Sera, Vivienne, Cassandra, the Iron Bull and Varric (if Hawke sided with the templars in DA2) approve of taking the mages prisoner. Either way, the mages are now at the Inquisition’s disposal and can help close the Breach.
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