Dragon Age: The Veilguard Concept Art Reveals Early Plans for Solas

Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Solas: Early Concepts Reveal a Darker God

Early concept sketches for Dragon Age: The Veilguard reveal a more vengeful, god-like Solas than the character presented in the final game. Former BioWare artist Nick Thornborrow, who contributed to the game's development through a visual novel prototype, recently shared over 100 sketches illustrating the evolution of the story.

These sketches offer a fascinating glimpse into Solas's journey. While his role as a manipulative figure behind the Veil's destruction remains consistent, the visual depictions differ significantly. The final game portrays Solas largely as a dream-advisor to the protagonist, Rook. However, the concept art paints a far more sinister picture, often depicting him as a colossal, shadowy entity.

Solas's initial appearance in Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) established him as a helpful companion, a secret later revealed to be a deceptive façade. His plan to shatter the Veil continues into The Veilguard, forming the game's central conflict.

Thornborrow's visual novel, used to brainstorm story ideas, shows scenes where Solas abandons his guise of a sympathetic advisor, embracing a more overtly vengeful god persona. While some scenes, like his initial attempt to tear the Veil, remained largely unchanged, others underwent dramatic alterations. The ambiguity surrounding these changes leaves open the question of whether these darker depictions represent events within Rook's dreams or manifestations of Fen'Harel's power in the real world.

The significant differences between concept art and the final product highlight the extensive evolution The Veilguard's narrative underwent during development. This is unsurprising given the nearly ten-year gap between installments and the last-minute title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Thornborrow's released sketches provide valuable insight into this transformative process, offering fans a deeper understanding of the game's creative journey.