Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Solas: From Vengeful God to Dream Advisor – A Look at Early Concept Art

Early concept sketches for Dragon Age: The Veilguard reveal a significantly different portrayal of Solas, showcasing a more overtly vengeful god-like persona than his final in-game depiction. These sketches, shared by former BioWare artist Nick Thornborrow, offer a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Solas's character arc.

Thornborrow, who departed BioWare in April 2022 after a 15-year tenure, played a crucial role in The Veilguard's development. He created a visual novel prototype, featuring branching storylines, to help convey narrative ideas to the development team. Over 100 sketches from this prototype, recently showcased on his website, depict various characters and scenes, many of which made it into the final game—though often with significant alterations.

Solas, initially introduced in Dragon Age: Inquisition as a helpful companion, later revealed his treacherous plan to shatter the Veil. This plan forms the core of The Veilguard's narrative. However, the concept art presents a stark contrast to Solas's largely advisory role in the released game, where he primarily interacts with the protagonist, Rook, through dreams.

The early sketches, predominantly black and white with selective color accents, portray Solas abandoning his guise as a sympathetic advisor. He's depicted as a far more imposing and vengeful deity. While scenes like his initial attempt to tear the Veil remain largely consistent, other scenes are drastically different, often showing Solas as a colossal, shadowy figure. The ambiguity surrounding these changes leaves open the question of whether these scenes represent events within Rook's dreams or manifestations of Fen'Harel's power in the real world.

The significant differences between the concept art and the final game reflect the extensive evolution The Veilguard's narrative underwent during development. This is further evidenced by the game's title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf shortly before release. Thornborrow's shared sketches provide valuable insight into this creative process, bridging the gap between the initial vision and the final product.