"I never believed it until our own fell. There were murmurings of what happened in other Circles- especially after Kinoch hold. After Kirkwall. But we were the Circle of Val Royeaux. The mages of The White Spire, the seat of templar power in Orlais." There's pride in that, tarnished by time and distance and opened eyes- but then? Then it had been more than enough. "It couldn't possibly touch us. There were always rumors, gossip- there is little more to do in a tower but study and gossip- of Templars taking liberties. Apostates brought in and forgotten in the dungeons, mages struck for insubordination- tales meant to frighten willful apprentices into compliance."

Her voice goes thick, her eyes distant. "They couldn't possibly be true. We'd never thought to question. The templars simply were, they did their duty, we did ours, we were safe from demons and those that feared us should we travel beyond the walls of the Spire- they would protect others from us should the worst come to pass. I never thought to ask. To investigate, to question. Theories and antiquated traditions, spells and academia- this I questioned. But never the system itself. I was willfully blinded by comfort. Content. What a bitter awakening it was, when everything fell apart."