Inquisition

The first Inquisition was a group of people who, following the First Blight, rose up to defend Thedas from the dangers of magic and heretics. The Inquisition later allied with the Chantry, abandoning its original name and splitting itself into the Seekers of Truth and the Templar Order.Thedas UK (January 14, 2012). "David Gaider Interview". Retrieved September 17, 2012.
In 9:41 Dragon, the Inquisition is reformed, following the cataclysmic event called the Breach.
== The Inquisition of old ==
In the years before the founding of the Chantry and the start of the Divine Age, Thedas was plunged into chaos. The First Blight had ended, the Imperium had broken apart following Andraste's March, and despite the spread of the Maker's teachings, blood mages, maleficar, and Old Gods cults were widespread. The Inquisition was formed around -100 Ancient, thus predating the Chantry by roughly 90 years, with the goal of protecting the people from the "tyranny of magic" in whatever form it might take—blood mages, abominations, cultists or heretics."On Templars, Raiders, City Guards and The Coterie". Official BioWare blog. Retrieved September 17, 2012. A loose association of Andrastian hard-liners, the group combed the land in search of these "threats" and some say theirs was a reign of terror.Codex entry: The Seekers of Truth Others say they were cast in a negative light by history because their investigations and even application of justice, protecting both mages and common people impartially, crossed too many powerful groups. In these accounts it is suggested that the group was already known as the Seekers of Truth and that the "Inquisition" moniker was perhaps pejorative. 
In 1:20 Divine, the newly founded Chantry found common cause with the Inquisition and they signed the Nevarran Accord.Gaider, D. Dragon Age: Asunder. Epilogue. p. 412. As part of the agreement, the Inquisition became the new martial arm of the Chantry, the Templar Order, and its senior members became known as the Seekers of Truth. Another result was the creation of the Circle of Magi, with the Templars serving as overseers for the Circle.
The last leader of the original Inquisition, Ameridan, went missing after the organisation's dissolution. It is said he left to hunt a powerful dragon or to not overshadow the newly created Templar Order.
When the Inquisition was no more, the mysterious Order of Fiery Promise rose up for the first time, claiming to be the real Inquisition and Seekers of Truth. They were quickly dispersed by the might of the newly established Chantry.
== The modern Inquisition ==
=== Trespasser ===
== Hierarchy and organization ==
The re-formed Inquisition is commanded by the Inquisitor who serves as overall leader of the organization. Beneath them are the three advisers, each of whom oversees a different department of the Inquisition. The Commander leads the military forces of the organization and oversees training. The Seneschal/Spymaster is in charge of covert operations, subterfuge and liaisons with more disreputable elements. The Ambassador is in charge of co-coordinating diplomatic efforts among the nobility and various other groups which the Inquisition must work with. 
The Inquisition is less rigid than most organizations in Thedas and adopts a more inclusive recruitment practice, allowing not only humans but elves, dwarves and Qunari into senior command positions, similar to the Grey Wardens. Unlike the Wardens however, the Inquisition does not strive to be a-political, as much of its financial and diplomatic backing comes from senior members of the Orlesian nobility as well as the Fereldan nobility.
== Heraldry ==
The constellations Visus, known as "the Watchful Eye", and Judex, known as the "Blade of Mercy" or the "Sword of Mercy", are intertwined to form the Inquisition's heraldry.https://gear.bioware.com/products/inquisition-banner Visus was originally a symbol of the Lady of the Skies. During Andraste's exalted March, Visus was used by her armies to guide their way north and came to be associated with the Maker. The sword was added later, as it is said that the star that marks the point of the blade only appeared in the sky after Andraste's death. The early Inquisition took Visus as their symbol. After the establishment of the Nevarran Accord, which divided the Inquisition into the Templar Order and the Seekers of Truth, the Inquisition's sigil split in two: the Blade of Mercy became the Templars' symbol, while the all-seeing eye became the crest of the Seekers of Truth.
== Notable Inquisition Members ==
=== Original Inquisition ===
=== Modern Inquisition ===
* The Inquisitor – the leader of the modern Inquisition and the player-controlled protagonist of Dragon Age: Inquisition
* Cassandra Pentaghast – former Seeker of Truth; former Right Hand of the Divine; co-founder of the Inquisition; companion to the Inquisitor
* Leliana – a former bard; former Left Hand of the Divine; co-founder of the Inquisition; current Spymaster in charge of collecting the Inquisition's Secrets
* Cullen Rutherford – former Knight-Commander of the Templar Order; current Commander of the Inquisition's Forces
* Josephine Montilyet – current ambassador in charge of maintaining the Inquisition's Connections
* Varric Tethras – a deshyr of the Dwarven Merchants' Guild; companion to the Inquisitor
* Solas – an elven apostate; companion to the Inquisitor
* Iron Bull – a Qunari mercenary; leader of the Bull's Chargers; potential companion to the Inquisitor
* Sera – an elven member of the Friends of Red Jenny; potential companion to the Inquisitor
* Vivienne – First Enchanter of Montsimmard; potential companion to the Inquisitor
* Blackwall – a wandering Grey Warden recruiter; potential companion to the Inquisitor
* Cole – a unique spirit; potential companion to the Inquisitor
* Dorian Pavus – an Altus mage of the Tevinter Imperium; potential companion to the Inquisitor
* Charter – spy for the Inquisition and one of Leliana's most trusted agents
* Dagna – arcanist
* Baron Edouard Desjardins – an associate of Josephine Montilyet
* Lace Harding – the Inquisition's lead scout
* Marius – a former Tevinter slave trained as a magekiller
* Knight-Captain Rylen – former Templar and Cullen's second-in-command 
* Tessa Forsythia – a Nevarran adventurer and partner of the magekiller Marius
* Vaea – squire of Ser Aaron Hawthorne
== Codex entries ==
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== Note texts ==
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== Trivia ==
* In The Sims 3 University Life there are various mobile phone skins, one called "Age of Dragon" which has an Inquisition theme.See caption from The Sims 3 University Life.
* The "deliberately alarming guess" of how many soldiers, assassins, diplomats etc. the modern Inquisition rallied to its cause stands at ten thousand.Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Callback
== See also ==
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== Gallery ==
E3 2013 Screen21.jpg|Cassandra Pentaghast and soldiers of the Inquisition
Inquisition Standard.png|Inquisition Standard
Inquisition Skyhold Heraldry.png|Inquisition Banner
Inquisition Scout.png|Inquisition Scout
Inquisition Foot Soldier.png|Inquisition Soldier in heavy armour
Inquisition Battlemage.png|Inquisition Battlemage
Inquisition Officer.png|Inquisition Soldier in standard armour
Inquisition Soldiers Training.png|Inquisition soldiers training
Dragon-age-concept07.png|Inquisition concept art
== References ==
Category:Groups
Category:Chantry lore
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uk:Інквізиція