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 advisor role he ultimately plays in the final game.

Thornborrow, who departed 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 have been released, many depicting scenes that ultimately made it into the game, albeit with significant alterations.

The contrast between the concept art and the final game is striking. While Solas's initial attempt to shatter the Veil remains largely consistent, other scenes portray him as a far more imposing and sinister figure – a colossal, shadowy being. The ambiguity surrounding these scenes leaves open the question of whether they represent events within Rook's dreams or manifestations of Fen'Harel's power in the real world.

The sketches frequently depict Solas without the sympathetic demeanor he presents in the game, instead showcasing a more wrathful, god-like persona. This discrepancy highlights the substantial narrative shifts that occurred during The Veilguard's development, a process already anticipated by fans given the long gap between installments and the last-minute title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

Thornborrow's contribution provides valuable insight into the creative process and allows players to better understand the evolution of Solas's character and the overall narrative arc of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.