The Inquisition

The Inquisition is an organization dedicated to defending order and protecting the people of Thedas. Despite being an Andrastian institution, the original Inquisition was founded roughly 1,000 years ago, before the Chantry was even formed. Its purpose was to try and curb the chaos that had erupted after the First Blight and the shattering of the Tevinter Imperium by Andraste. They singled out dangerous magic as the source of much of that chaos, and focused on stopping blood magic, demon summoning, Old-God worshipping, that sort of thing. Eventually they would formally align with the Chantry and split to become the Templar Order and the Seekers of Truth.

The second Inquisition, the one you might be more familiar with, was officially formed shortly after the destruction of the Temple of Sacred Ashes and the deaths of most of the highest-ranking leaders of the Chantry. Unofficially, the organization had been operating already, spearheaded by the Left and Right Hands of Divine Justinia V, Leliana and Cassandra Pentaghast, respectively. Their only real tasks at that point had been to find a leader for the group, but after failing to find the Hero of Ferelden and the Champion of Kirkwall, they were interrupted by the Conclave. This new Inquisition has the same basic plan as the original: restore order in a chaotic time and protect the defenseless from threats, magical and otherwise. I was one of the earliest recruits, and prisoners, of the Inquisition after I fell out of the Fade following the formation of the Breach. The Hands’ recreation of the Inquisition, which was not subject to any authority, was seen as controversial by many and downright blasphemous to the remains of the Chantry hierarchy. Despite this, the new Inquisition flourished as people flocked to join our banner. We were able to survive the Chantry denouncing us, Corypheus attacking our headquarters, and having me chosen to lead the group as Inquisitor, each hardship more strenuous than the last. After making our way to a new base of operations, the castle of Skyhold in the Frostback Mountains, we proceeded to decimate Corypheus’ forces across Thedas, end the ancient magister himself, and save the world. The Inquisition now stands as one of the most powerful forces on Thedas, and it’s only a matter of time before the rest start questioning our purpose, now that there’s no more hole in the sky to seal or ancient aspiring god to slay. We’ll deal with that problem when it inevitably comes, but until then, there are still innumerable issues around Thedas, and so the Inquisition will continue to inquisit.