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

Summary

• Early concept sketches reveal a more vengeful god-like persona for Solas in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
• Nick Thornborrow's visual novel-style game played a crucial role in shaping the narrative during development.
• The transition from concept art to the final game suggests a more subtle approach to Solas's hidden agenda.

A former BioWare artist, Nick Thornborrow, has provided fans with a glimpse into the early stages of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's development by sharing concept sketches that offer a different perspective on the character Solas. These sketches, which highlight Solas's journey, contrast with his portrayal in the final game.

Solas, who first appeared as a playable companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014, plays a pivotal role in The Veilguard. Initially joining the Inquisitor as a supportive Rift Mage, his true intentions were unveiled as a traitorous architect behind the rift's breach in the Trespasser DLC. His plan to dismantle the Veil continues into The Veilguard, setting the stage for the game's narrative.

Although Thornborrow had left BioWare by the time The Veilguard was released in April 2022, his contributions during his tenure were significant. He developed a visual novel-style game with branching storylines to help convey narrative concepts to the development team. His website now showcases over 100 sketches from this project, revealing various characters and scenes. While some elements made it into the final game, the depiction of Solas has evolved significantly. In the released version, Solas serves primarily as an advisor who communicates with the protagonist, Rook, through dreams. However, earlier concepts portrayed him as more overtly menacing and sinister.

Artist Shares Early Dragon Age: The Veilguard Solas Sketches

Mainly rendered in black and white with strategic splashes of color highlighting key elements like The Veilguard's lyrium dagger, these early images present Solas in a more aggressive light, shedding the sympathetic advisor facade to embody a vengeful deity. Some scenes, such as his attempt to tear the Veil at the game's outset, remain consistent from concept to final product. Others, however, depict Solas as a towering, shadowy figure, raising questions about whether these scenes occur in Rook's dreams or if Fen'Harel is unleashing his powers in reality.

Given the decade-long gap between Dragon Age entries and notable changes like the game's name shift from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf to The Veilguard shortly before its release, it's evident that the story evolved significantly during development. Thornborrow's shared sketches offer fans a valuable behind-the-scenes look, helping to bridge the narrative gaps and providing deeper insight into the creative process.