There’s lots of pleasure round Dragon Age: The Veilguard (how will we really feel concerning the title?). We’ll be taught quite a bit on Tuesday when BioWare exhibits quarter-hour of gameplay, however we have already gleaned some info, primarily by way of an interview from BioWare’s normal supervisor Gary McKay with IGN’s Kat Bailey.
Relating to the companions of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, McKay revealed there are seven companions, with every “meant to symbolize a singular faction or component from Thedas.” McKay adopted this up by saying, “We have tapped into Dragon Age’s deep lore and exploited its most iconic factions to carry every of the seven companions and their tales to life.” He additionally introduced that the companions can be playersexual, which I am not a fan of, however alas.
Andarateia (Andy), a well known Dragon Age buff on X (previously Twitter), has produced a implausible graphic with their predictions of which factions can be represented in The Veilguard, which I assume is what we’re calling our merry(?) band.
Factions
The idea for Andy’s predictions is what features of worldbuilding BioWare have targeted on because the launch of Inquisition in its varied cross-media endeavours. This consists of comics, brief tales, a novel, the animated collection Dragon Age: Absolution and the teasers we have already seen.
A few the plain ones are the Antivan Crows and Gray Wardens, which have had a presence within the lore since Dragon Age: Origins and will definitely be described as ‘iconic’. The ‘Thedas Calls’ teaser launched in December featured Antiva and The Anderfels (location of the Gray Warden HQ) so these two seem to be secure bets.
Likewise, the Qunari have formed Thedosian politics ever since their outstanding function in Dragon Age 2, so it stands to motive that you will have somebody on board representing the Qun. Presently, northern Thedas is topic to an Antaam (army wing of the Qun) invasion that isn’t sanctioned by the entire of the Qun. Andy (and I) think about we’ll have a non-Antaam Qunari in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Then, there are the Veil Jumpers of Arlathan Forest. This group seem within the anthology novel Tevinter Nights and the Dragon Age: The Lacking comedian. They’re Dalish Elves making an attempt to police a darkness spreading within the Arlathan Forest, probably due to Solas’ interfering with The Veil.
Andy predicts a companion can be a member of The Lords of Fortune, a treasure-hunting guild out of Rivain. I would not describe this faction as ‘iconic’ however three separate tales in Tevinter Nights featured a member of this faction, so BioWare has plans to characteristic them in some function. They’re additionally one of many solely features of Rivain that has been expanded upon within the lore, and Rivain was one of many areas featured within the Thedas Calls trailer.
The submit believes the ultimate two factions would be the Shadow Dragons (an anti-slavery resistance group in Tevinter) and the Mortalitasi, a gaggle of necromancers chargeable for mummifying the lifeless of the Nevarran elite. The latter is extra probably, in my view, each as a result of they obtained a devoted story in Tevinter Nights, and likewise as a result of, from a gameplay perspective, necromancy is an fascinating mechanic.
These are strong predictions, and I feel a number of of them are extraordinarily probably. I hold coming again to McKay’s use of the phrase ‘iconic’ although, and there are a few notable exceptions not included within the record. The Chantry will certainly have a consultant within the participant’s companions, whether or not that be a seeker, a former member of the Inquisition or one thing else.
I feel there can even be illustration from one of many Circle of Magi successors, the existence of which depends upon who turns into the Chantry’s Divine on the finish of Dragon Age: Inquisition. I think about we’ll be tied to somebody from both the brand new Circle of Magi or the extra autonomous Faculty of Enchanters.
We will definitely have the Dalish in some capability, however what of the Dwarves of Orzammar? They’re distant and have much less ‘pores and skin within the recreation’, however I would be shocked if we did not see some sort of floor dwarf companion given they have been a mainstay because the collection’ starting. I hope it is not simply Varric once more, although.
I wrote an article previous to the title change announcement predicting that Morrigan may very well be a returning companion in The Veilguard. Nonetheless, I do not imagine that any authentic companions will return as companions now that we all know they’re all out there for love, because it may battle with the collection’ previous romances.
We’ll know extra about Dragon Age: Veilguard’s companions on June 11 at 8am PT / 11am ET / 5pm CEST.
