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 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 advisor role he ultimately plays in the final game.

Thornborrow, who left BioWare in April 2022, contributed significantly to The Veilguard's development by creating a visual novel prototype to help shape the narrative. Over 100 sketches from this prototype depict various characters and scenes, some of which have undergone significant changes in the final product.

While Solas's initial attempt to tear the Veil remains largely consistent between concept and final game, other scenes show a stark contrast. The concept art portrays Solas as a colossal, shadowy figure, a far cry from his mostly dream-based advisory role in the released game. The ambiguity surrounding these differences leaves open the question of whether these scenes represent Rook's dreams or actual events in the real world.

The divergence between concept art and the final game isn't surprising, given the nearly ten-year gap between Dragon Age: Inquisition and The Veilguard, along with the last-minute title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Thornborrow's shared sketches provide valuable insight into the game's development process and offer a fascinating alternative portrayal of Solas's hidden agenda. They suggest a potentially darker, more powerful version of the character than what players ultimately experienced.