"Dragon Age: Veilguard Art Unveils Solas' Early Concepts"

Summary

• Early concept sketches reveal a different, more vengeful god-like persona for Solas in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
• Nick Thornborrow's visual novel-style game was instrumental in developing the game's story.
• The transition from concept art to the final game suggests a darker, more sinister hidden agenda for Solas.

A former BioWare artist has provided a fascinating glimpse into the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard with early concept sketches that shed new light on the character of Solas. Known for his complex role in the Dragon Age series, Solas takes on a significant narrative position in The Veilguard. These sketches, shared by artist Nick Thornborrow, portray Solas in a starkly different manner than fans might expect.

Solas first appeared as a playable companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014, joining the Inquisitor early on and serving as the only Rift Mage. Despite his initially helpful nature, the game's ending and the Trespasser DLC unveiled his true intentions as the mastermind behind the rift and his plan to dismantle the Veil, which continues into Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Although Thornborrow left BioWare in April 2022, before The Veilguard's release, his contributions to the game's development are evident. His official website reveals that he crafted a visual novel-style game with branching narratives to help convey story ideas for The Veilguard. Recently, he shared over 100 sketches from this project, which include various characters and scenes that made it into the final game. However, some depictions of Solas have evolved significantly from the initial concepts. In the final game, Solas appears mainly as an advisory figure who communicates with the protagonist, Rook, through dreams. Yet, earlier art suggests a more overt and menacing portrayal of his hidden agenda.

Artist Shares Early Dragon Age: The Veilguard Solas Sketches

The early sketches, primarily in black and white with strategic splashes of color highlighting key elements like The Veilguard's lyrium dagger, portray Solas as shedding his role as a sympathetic advisor. Instead, he is depicted as a vengeful god, often shrouded in shadow and appearing as an immense figure. While some scenes, such as his attempt to tear down the Veil at the game's outset, remain consistent with the final product, others have been altered or omitted, leaving uncertainty about whether these scenes occur in Rook's dreams or represent Fen'Harel's real-world actions.

With nearly a decade between Dragon Age entries and notable changes like the game's name shift from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf to The Veilguard just months before its release, it's clear that the story underwent significant revisions. Thanks to Thornborrow's shared sketches, fans can better understand these shifts and appreciate the evolution of Solas's character throughout the development process.