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The mages had sought to usurp Heaven, but instead they destroyed it. They were cast out, twisted and cursed by their own corruption.
The dwarven kingdoms were the first to fall, and from the Deep Roads the darkspawn drove at us again and again until finally we neared annihilation.
Until the Gray Wardens came.
It has been four centuries since that victory and we have kept our vigil. We have watched and waited for the darkspawn to return. But those who once called us heroes… have forgotten.
Maker help us all.
This tower is the only place in Ferelden where mages may study their art among others of their kind.
Knight-Commander Greagoir: Your magic is a gift, but it’s also a curse, for demons of the dream realm –the fade—are drawn to you, and seek to use you as a gateway into this world.
This guy leads the templars that are watching us. Because of this, we don’t like him so much.
This scruffy man is First Enchanter Irving. He’s the top mage in the tower. He works along with the Knight-Commander. The two have a power struggle going on between them. Knight-Commander Greagoir tries to oppress us somhow and First Enchanter Irving tries to keep Greagoir happy (so he doesn’t do anything worse) while also keeping the mages safe.
Taranis: What happens if I cannot defeat the demon?
Knight-Commander Greagoir: It will turn you into an abomination and the templars will be forced to slay you.
First Enchanter Irving: This is lyrium: the very essence of magic and your gateway into the Fade.
That would be in the glowy fountain he’s vaguley gesturing at.
First Enchanter Irving: Keep your wits about you and remember the Fade is a realm of dreams. The spirits may rule it, but your own will is real.
We’re looking appropriately skeptical about this whole ‘feed you to a demon’ plan they have going on.
This must be the Fade, then. It doesn’t look nice, but then again it is a creepy, demon filled dreamland. After no demons pop out of the woodwork to claim our eternal soul, we check out the corner.
There are a few of these scattered around here. Inside we find three Shimmering Orbs of Light. It’s a special healing item that we’ll only see in our mage origin. We don’t really need them, since one of the spells we know is a healing spell.
We take them anyways.
That white dot in the distance is one of the demons that First Enchanter Irving told us about. It's just a wisp. They’re pretty squishy, even by a level one mage’s standards. One hit with an arcane bolt and it’s down.
Seeing it, actually gives me an idea.
The second spell we have is called Spell Wisp. It’s a toggle skill. Turn it on and some of our mana is blocked off, but we summon our own wisp (a nice one) that gives us a spellpower bonus. That’s one of our skills. Our little glowbug makes us magic harder. 
He won’t help us in combat, though. He’s just a skill boost.
Strange, I don’t see anyone talking to us.
Glowbug, is that you?
Oh.
Taranis: You’re a talking rat.
A+ for observation. D for pointing out the obvious.
Mouse: You think you’re really here? In that body? You look like that because you think you do! *Sigh* It’s always the same. But it’s not your fault. You’re in the same boat I was, aren’t you?
Cool, he’s a shapeshifter. He might be useful, then. Maybe we can sucker him into fighting our demon for us?
Mouse: No. I don’t remember anything from … before. The templars kill you if you take too long, you see. They figure you failed, and they don’t want something getting out. That’s what they did to me, I think. I have no body to reclaim. And you don’t have much time before you end up the same.
Seriously? They didn’t mention that earlier, the jerks.
Taranis: How long do I have, exactly?
Mouse: I… I don’t remember. I ran away and I hid. I don’t know for how long.
Taranis: What am I supposed to do?
Mouse: There’s something here, contained, just for an apprentice like you. You have to face the creature, a demon, and resist it, if you can.
Mouse: You would be a fool to just attack everything you see. What you face is powerful, cunning. There are others here, other spirits. They will tell you more, maybe help. If you can believe anything you see.
Well this is the land of dreams, isn’t it? If we believe in something strongly enough, doesn’t that make it real?
He decides to turn into a mouse again. Maybe he can still be useful in combat? He can bite their ankles or something. Unless we’re fighting more wisps. They don’t have ankles.
That looks like a boss area if I’ve ever seen one. We’ll just skirt around that.
Oh, what’s this?
Don’t be a jerk, Mouse. We want him to help us, you doof.
???: Your mages have devised a cowardly test. Better you were pitted against each other to prove your mettle with skill, than to be sent unarmed against a demon.
Taranis: I agree, but I didn’t have a choice.
???: Indeed. The choice, and the fault, lies with the mages who sent you here.
Umm. I think the problem’s a little bit more complex than that, but I’m sure our knowledge of mage politics won’t be too helpful here, anyways.
???: That you remain means you have not yet defeated your hunter. I wish you a glorious battle to come.
Taranis: What kind of spirit are you?
Taranis: What else do you know about the Harrowing?
Spirit of Valour: Is that what your test is called? I know little of your mortal ways. I do know that a demon has been called and told that a meal awaits. It will not — cannot — leave until one of you is dead.
Huh. So the demon is a prisoner too. I can’t imagine it’ll be too happy about that.
Taranis: Did you create all of these weapons?
Spirit of Valour: They are brought into being by my will. I understand that in your world, mages are the only ones who can will things into being.
You know, I make it a rule to tell the templars that every single day.
Spirit of Valour: Without a doubt. In this realm, everything that exists is the expression of a thought. Do you think these blades be steel? The staves be wood? Do you believe they draw blood? A weapon is a single need for battle, and my will makes that need reality.
Yeah, I’d rather not fight a personification of valourous combat if I don’t have to. Instead, we’re going to take option number four. It’s the first time we can make a skill check in dialogue. There are a lot of these in Dragon Age: Origins. Usually, you’re looking at Persuade and Intimidate, but more rarely you see a check like this one.
Instead of Persuade, which to use you need to take a skill point in Coercion, we just need enough Willpower to make this check. I know that for Persuasion the formula is Persuasion = (25 * Coercion Tier) + (Cunning – 10), and that Intimidate is the same thing, except with Strength instead of Cunning. After that number is calculated we see if it’s higher than the targets difficulty check. If it is, we win.
I have no idea what the formula for this is. I’m not sure if there is a formula at all. Is the option just unlocked if we have a certain amount of whatever attribute is needed? Does this mean we can expect each of these skill checks (that aren’t Persuade or Intimidate) to be an automatic success? We’ll just have to do this by trial and error.
Spirit of Valour: How dare you accuse me! I am no demon, preying upon helpless mortals to steal their essence! I am a being of honour and valour! I am a warrior!
Oops. We’ve made him angry. We have the option to apologize, but we’re going to poke at him some more instead. It’s all or nothing, baby,
Taranis: So you challenge helpless mortals to duels?
Spirit of Valour: You are insolent… but your will is unquestionably strong. Very well, mortal. You prove to me that you possess the strength to resist this demon. Go, prove your worth as you must. I am confident you will succeed.
Look at the badass staff we have now! We just bullied a spirit into giving us a weapon. Awesome. The armour penetration is insanely high, but that’s typical for a staff. There’s just something about concentrated energy shooting out of a magical stick that makes armour crumple like wet tissue paper. Staves are neat weapons because of this and the fact that they don’t miss. Ever. We can’t land a critical hit with a staff, but we're guaranteed a hit whenever we attack. Unless we’re trying to shoot at someone on the other side of a wall or something.