Templar Order

The seceded enforcers who wage war against mages following the Kirkwall explosion.

The Templar Order serves as the enforcers of the Circle of Magi, tasked with managing the magical tensions that plague Thedas. Following the explosion of the Kirkwall Chantry in Dragon Age II and the events detailed in the 2011 novel Dragon Age: Asunder, the political landscape shifted dramatically. The Templar Order officially seceded from the Chantry to wage their own war against the world's mages. This schism ended a long-standing alliance, transforming them from religious guardians into an independent military force. Their departure was driven by the escalating conflict between mage and templar factions, culminating in a peace conference orchestrated by Divine Justinia V at a Conclave near Haven.

Lore & Background

Before the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition, the Templar Order operated under Chantry authority to ensure magic remained safe and controlled. However, after the Kirkwall Chantry exploded and civil unrest grew across Thedas, the Order made a decisive break from their religious overlords. They seceded entirely to conduct their own war against mages, viewing the Circle of Magi as compromised by rogue elements. This separation set the stage for a fragile truce attempted at the Conclave near Haven in Ferelden, where Divine Justinia V tried to negotiate peace between the two factions.

The conflict came to a head when a mysterious tear in the sky called the "Breach" opened at this very Conclave, unleashing dangerous demons upon the world. The explosion and subsequent demonic invasion effectively shattered the peace conference and left the Templar Order fractured. While some members may have joined the Inquisition led by the player character known as the Inquisitor to close the Breach, the organization itself was no longer a unified body under Chantry command but a force divided by war and survival.

Reader's Guide

The Templar Order is defined by its secession from the Chantry during the Mage-Templar War in Dragon Age: Inquisition. They are no longer under direct religious command but act as an independent military faction waging war on mages until the Conclave incident at Haven. Their status changed fundamentally when the Breach opened, forcing them to confront a common enemy alongside mages. Players encounter the remnants of this conflict while exploring the semi-open worlds of Thedas.

The Inquisition seeks to close the Breach and settle civil unrest, which involves interacting with both Templars and Mages. Depending on player choices regarding the story's narrative, these factions may be allies or enemies. The Templar Order's role shifted from enforcers of Circle Law to a seceded army fighting its own war, only to be swept up in the larger crisis of the Breach. Their involvement is central to the game's opening events and the political landscape players must navigate.