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

Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Solas: From Vengeful God to Dream Advisor – Early Concept Art Reveals a Darker Vision

Early concept sketches for Dragon Age: The Veilguard offer a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Solas, revealing a significantly different portrayal than the one seen in the final game. These sketches, shared by former BioWare artist Nick Thornborrow, hint at a much more overt and vengeful god-like persona for the enigmatic character.

Thornborrow, who contributed to The Veilguard's development through a visual novel prototype used to explore story ideas, recently unveiled over 100 sketches on his website. While many scenes mirror the final game, Solas's depiction shows significant divergence. In the released game, Solas primarily acts as an advisor, communicating with the protagonist Rook through dreams. However, the concept art paints a far more sinister picture, often portraying him as a colossal, shadowy figure directly wielding his power.

The contrast between concept and final product is particularly striking. While the initial Veil-rending scene appears largely unchanged, other scenes depict a far more aggressive and overtly malevolent Solas, embodying a vengeful god persona. The ambiguity surrounding the setting of these altered scenes—whether they are dream sequences or real-world events—adds another layer of intrigue.

This behind-the-scenes look provides valuable context, especially considering the significant time gap between Dragon Age: Inquisition and The Veilguard, as well as the last-minute title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. The differences highlighted by Thornborrow's sketches offer fans a deeper understanding of the creative process and the substantial evolution of Solas's character arc throughout The Veilguard's development. The early concept art suggests a potentially darker, more powerful Solas, whose hidden agenda was perhaps initially conceived on a grander, more direct scale.