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 contributed to The Veilguard's development by creating a visual novel prototype to explore story possibilities, shared over 100 sketches. Many depict scenes that made it into the finished product, but with significant visual differences. Solas's portrayal in the concept art often shows him as a colossal, shadowy figure, a far cry from his mostly dream-based advisory role in the released game.

The contrast between concept and final product highlights potential changes to Solas's narrative arc. While the initial Veil-tearing scene appears largely unchanged, other scenes featuring Solas are drastically different. The ambiguity surrounding these changes leaves open the question of whether these more powerful, overtly antagonistic depictions of Solas occurred in Rook's dreams or manifested in the real world.

This behind-the-scenes look offers valuable insight into the game's development process. The significant shift in Solas's depiction, coupled with the game's title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, underscores the substantial evolution The Veilguard underwent throughout its creation. Thornborrow's sketches help bridge the gap between initial creative visions and the final product, enriching players' understanding of Solas's character and the game's narrative.