Summary

• Early concept sketches reveal a different, more vengeful side of Solas, hinting at a darker persona.
• Nick Thornborrow's visual novel-style game was instrumental in conveying story ideas for The Veilguard's development.
• The transition from concept art to the final game suggests a shift in Solas's portrayal and hidden agenda.

A former BioWare artist, Nick Thornborrow, has shared early concept sketches for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, providing additional insights into the evolution of Solas, a pivotal character in the series. These sketches offer a glimpse into a different aspect of Solas, contrasting with his portrayal in the final game.

Solas first appeared as a playable companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014, offering magical support as the sole Rift Mage. Despite his initial helpfulness, 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 sets the stage for 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. He created a visual novel-style game with branching choices to help convey story ideas to the development team. His website now features over 100 sketches from this visual novel, showcasing various characters and scenes. Notably, some of the sketches involving Solas have evolved significantly from the concept art to the final game. In The Veilguard, Solas primarily serves as an advisor, appearing to Rook in dreams, but the early art suggests a more overt and sinister hidden agenda.

Artist Shares Early Dragon Age: The Veilguard Solas Sketches

The early sketches, primarily in black and white with strategic splashes of color, such as The Veilguard's lyrium dagger, depict Solas in a more menacing light. These images portray him as a vengeful god, shedding the sympathetic advisor persona. While some scenes, like his attempt to tear the Veil at the game's start, remain consistent, others show Solas as a towering, shadowy figure. It's unclear whether these scenes occur in Rook's dreams or if Fen'Harel is unleashing his powers in the real world, given the changes during the game's development.

With nearly a decade between Dragon Age entries and significant production changes, including the game's name shift from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf to The Veilguard just months before release, fans were already aware of potential story alterations. Thornborrow's shared sketches offer a valuable behind-the-scenes perspective, helping fans better understand the development journey of The Veilguard.