The problem is that apparently the two most radical templars are also the highest-ranked. So IC they have had a lot of sway, and Alayre and Norrington have also been two of the most active templars tagging. It may have seemed from an OOC perspective that their viewpoint was more mainstream than it actually is? (Especially since people haven't been taking "silent majority" NPC opinions into account).
The fact is that the "New Templar Order" idea is a radical one, especially for its time, and honestly, if Cassandra heard any templars talking about opening it up to anyone, or moving away from their role as guardians against dangerous magic, she would be baffled and probably furious.
I'm just gonna go ahead and link the Wiki entry again here because honestly it seems like there's some confusion over what a Templar is, what they do and why, and how they are perceived by the people of Thedas. Please see specifically the section on Templar recruitment. "As the Chantry’s military arm, they are recruited primarily for their martial skill and religious dedication to the Maker." Alayre questioning his own faith, he and Norrington calling for the Order to allow anyone to join regardless of their faith in the Maker, and the two of them talking of distancing themselves from the Chantry and voicing support for mage freedom is a problem. It makes no sense. Any of this would have Cassandra strongly questioning why they are Templars at all, why they are leading the Templars when they no longer believe in their work ("they must be unswervingly loyal to the Order"), and frankly, what the hell they are thinking.
Templars are not Stormtroopers. They're not evil and most people don't resent them at all, including many mages. Most people see them as "Champions of the Just" - protecting everyone, including mages, from the dangers of demonic possession, rogue apostates, and more - including protecting mages themselves from others who might try to do them harm. "Templars are sworn to protect the world from the dangers of magic, but they also protect mages from the outside world, a world that fears these magic users for very good reasons." Contrary to what OOC perception seems to have been lately, Templars are not universally viewed as the mages' cruel oppressors, but their guardians and protectors. Of course there have been some incidents where that hasn't been the case, and there have been instances where Templars overstepped their bounds, but to say that the mage side of the mage/templar war is unquestioningly in the right and the Templars are the villains if they don't immediately capitulate misses a whole lot of context and subtlety.
Logically, it makes no sense for all of the templars to be following Alayre and Norrington when they seem to have forgotten what a Templar is, or why their job is important. Templars do what they do because they firmly believe (and with reason!) that they are needed. They take pride in their work and do not apologize for it. They do what they do to protect both mages and the other people of Thedas. With few exceptions, they would not be pushing for mage freedom, and if Norrington and Alayre really feel this way about their work as Templars, the solution is probably for them to step down and figure out for themselves whether they still want to be Templars or need to find another path. Not try to reform the Templar Order from within.
no subject
The fact is that the "New Templar Order" idea is a radical one, especially for its time, and honestly, if Cassandra heard any templars talking about opening it up to anyone, or moving away from their role as guardians against dangerous magic, she would be baffled and probably furious.
I'm just gonna go ahead and link the Wiki entry again here because honestly it seems like there's some confusion over what a Templar is, what they do and why, and how they are perceived by the people of Thedas. Please see specifically the section on Templar recruitment. "As the Chantry’s military arm, they are recruited primarily for their martial skill and religious dedication to the Maker." Alayre questioning his own faith, he and Norrington calling for the Order to allow anyone to join regardless of their faith in the Maker, and the two of them talking of distancing themselves from the Chantry and voicing support for mage freedom is a problem. It makes no sense. Any of this would have Cassandra strongly questioning why they are Templars at all, why they are leading the Templars when they no longer believe in their work ("they must be unswervingly loyal to the Order"), and frankly, what the hell they are thinking.
Templars are not Stormtroopers. They're not evil and most people don't resent them at all, including many mages. Most people see them as "Champions of the Just" - protecting everyone, including mages, from the dangers of demonic possession, rogue apostates, and more - including protecting mages themselves from others who might try to do them harm. "Templars are sworn to protect the world from the dangers of magic, but they also protect mages from the outside world, a world that fears these magic users for very good reasons." Contrary to what OOC perception seems to have been lately, Templars are not universally viewed as the mages' cruel oppressors, but their guardians and protectors. Of course there have been some incidents where that hasn't been the case, and there have been instances where Templars overstepped their bounds, but to say that the mage side of the mage/templar war is unquestioningly in the right and the Templars are the villains if they don't immediately capitulate misses a whole lot of context and subtlety.
Logically, it makes no sense for all of the templars to be following Alayre and Norrington when they seem to have forgotten what a Templar is, or why their job is important. Templars do what they do because they firmly believe (and with reason!) that they are needed. They take pride in their work and do not apologize for it. They do what they do to protect both mages and the other people of Thedas. With few exceptions, they would not be pushing for mage freedom, and if Norrington and Alayre really feel this way about their work as Templars, the solution is probably for them to step down and figure out for themselves whether they still want to be Templars or need to find another path. Not try to reform the Templar Order from within.