Summary
According to a recent interview, some beloved characters from earlierDragon Agegames could be coming back inDragon Age: The Veilguard. The world of Thedas is vast, and theDragon Agefranchise has continuously taken players to different corners of the continent. Whereas the first three games took place in Southern Thedas,Dragon Age: The Veilguardwill take players far to the north – to the Tevinter Imperium and beyond.
Despite the new setting, players can expect to see plenty of returning characters in the nextDragon Agetitle. Most notably, scout Lace Harding isone of the companions inThe Veilguard, while a more grizzled Varric Tethras takes on a mentor role for Rook. Though it’s unclear whether he is a friend or foe, Solas also makes an appearance in the story, seemingly the person responsible for the dire events ofDragon Age: The Veilguard. However, a recent interview implies that there may be a few more familiar faces making an appearance in the latest BioWare game.
John Epler, the game’s creative director, and Ashley Barlow, creative performance director ofThe Veilguard,spoke with TheGamerabout the prospect of fan favorites returning in the sequel. “Obviously, there’s Scout Harding who’s back, but other characters [are also] coming back,” said Epler. “I’m excited for people to see them and especially see them in the context of having ten years pass since the lastDragon Age, both in the real world, but also in the world of Thedas.”
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Will Bring Back A Few Surprising Characters
While theInquisitor’s return inDragon Age: The Veilguardhas been announced, Harlow implies that there is quite a bit more in store for fans. “There are so many new characters. I mean, we have some sneaky surprises of returning, loved characters, but that’s the big thing: we have seven hundred unique characters to talk to.” It was recently discovered thatThe Veilguardwould have over 140,000 lines of dialogue, making it the most word-heavy Dragon Age to date. Impressively, this amount of chatting will mean thatThe Veilguardmay even have more dialogue thanBaldur’s Gate 3.
The scope of the game’s narrative is ambitious, and 700 unique characters is an impressive claim, butDragon Agefans also can’t help but wonder if Barlow all but confirmed the appearance of Dorian Pavus inThe Veilguard. As a noble of Tevinter, this belovedcompanion fromDragon Age: Inquisitionis a perfect choice for playing a major role in the sequel, especially if Rook is able to decide the fate of the Tevinter Imperium to some degree.
“I’m excited for people to see them and especially see them in the context of having ten years pass since the last Dragon Age, both in the real world, but also in the world of Thedas.” – John Epler
A time skip of ten years gives the writers ofDragon Age: The Veilguardplenty of narrative freedom to evolve the returning characters, and Dorian is hardly the only eligible choice. Given the focus on Eluvians as a narrative device, it’s possible forMerril to make an appearancein the story, either working with the Veil Jumpers or helping Rook directly. Players will be able to experienceDragon Age: The Veilguardfirsthand in Fall 2024.
