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 significantly more vengeful and overtly god-like Solas than the character presented 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. While many scenes closely resemble their in-game counterparts, Solas's portrayal differs substantially in several key areas. The final game largely depicts Solas as a dream-bound advisor to the protagonist, Rook. However, the concept art portrays him far more directly as a malevolent force, sometimes depicted as an immense, shadowy figure.
The contrast between concept and final product highlights potential narrative shifts during The Veilguard's development. While the initial Veil-rending scene appears largely unchanged, other scenes featuring Solas underwent significant alterations. The ambiguity surrounding these changes leaves open the question of whether these darker depictions represent events occurring within Rook's dreams or manifestations of Fen'Harel's power in the real world.
This behind-the-scenes look provides valuable context for fans, particularly given the significant time gap between Dragon Age: Inquisition and The Veilguard, and the last-minute name change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Thornborrow's sketches offer a compelling glimpse into the game's initial creative vision and the subsequent narrative evolution. The differences between the concept art and the final game suggest a potentially darker, more active role for Solas was initially envisioned.
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