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

Early Dragon Age: The Veilguard Concept Art Reveals a Darker Solas

Early concept sketches by former BioWare artist Nick Thornborrow offer a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Solas's character in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. These sketches, showcased on Thornborrow's website, reveal a more overtly vengeful and god-like Solas than the character ultimately presented in the final game.

Thornborrow, who contributed to The Veilguard's development by creating a visual novel prototype to explore story possibilities, shared over 100 sketches. While many scenes closely resemble their in-game counterparts, Solas's portrayal shows significant divergence. The final game depicts Solas primarily as an advisor, communicating with the protagonist Rook through dreams. However, the concept art portrays a much more menacing figure, often depicted as a colossal, shadowy entity.

The contrast between the concept art and the finished product suggests a potential shift in the narrative's direction. While the initial rift-tearing scene appears largely unchanged, other scenes featuring Solas are drastically different, raising questions about the nature of his actions within Rook's dreams versus the real world.

This divergence isn't surprising, given the nearly ten-year gap between Dragon Age: Inquisition and The Veilguard, along with the game's late title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Thornborrow's insight provides valuable context for understanding the significant narrative shifts that occurred during the game's development. The black and white sketches, punctuated by strategically placed color accents, highlight key elements like The Veilguard's lyrium dagger, further emphasizing the visual storytelling. The released images offer a compelling look at an alternative, potentially darker, interpretation of Solas's hidden agenda.