Sacred Haven of Debauchery

Quentin wasn't obsessed, and he didn't change his appearance until the very end, right?

Yes, I think I overcomplicated things in that phrase. I meant that anyone can go mad, but the chances of becoming possessed are high for mages and negligible for ordinary people.

Perhaps, if Meredith hadn't put pressure on the mages, none of this would have happened.

But:
a) It's not a fact that things would have been better; it could have become a "second Tevinter" (Kirkwall has a society that studies the legacy of the Templars).
b) She went berserk after the idol; before that, everything was harsh, but justified, given the circumstances in Kirkwall.