Solas' Unveiled: Concept Art Unveils Dragon Age Origins

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

Early concept sketches for Dragon Age: The Veilguard offer a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Solas, revealing a more vengeful and overtly godlike persona than his final in-game portrayal. Former BioWare artist Nick Thornborrow, whose visual novel prototype aided in shaping the game's narrative, recently shared over 100 sketches from this process.

These sketches illuminate Solas's journey, contrasting his role in the finished product with his initially conceived character. While Solas debuted in Dragon Age: Inquisition as a helpful companion, his true, antagonistic nature was unveiled later. This betrayal, involving the destruction of the Veil, forms the central conflict of The Veilguard.

Thornborrow's contribution, though completed before his departure from BioWare in 2022, significantly impacted the game's narrative development. His visual novel, featuring branching storylines, served as a valuable tool for conveying story ideas to the development team.

The released sketches, primarily black and white with selective color accents (highlighting elements like the lyrium dagger), showcase a stark difference between the initial Solas concept and the final game. While some scenes, such as his initial Veil-rending attempt, remain largely unchanged, others depict a far more sinister Solas. These variations often portray him as a colossal, shadowy figure, raising questions about the setting—are these scenes unfolding within Rook's dreams, or are they manifestations of Fen'Harel's power in the real world?

The discrepancies between the concept art and the final game aren't surprising, given the nearly ten-year gap between Inquisition and The Veilguard, along with significant production shifts (including the title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf). Thornborrow's insights provide valuable context, bridging the gap between the game's initial vision and its final release. The sketches suggest a potentially far more aggressive and less ambiguous portrayal of Solas's hidden agenda was initially considered.