#DA4 speculation

[higheverweave]

Just some Veilguard Theories dont mind me

[corseque]

In all these years waiting, I had no idea how they were going to humanize Solas to a new audience. I genuinely thought that they were not even going to try to humanize him to a new audience because people, especially people with no history, they simply do. Not. Care. About villainous-looking characters doing villainous-looking rituals.

But they DID it.

It didn’t even take that long. And they did it with a few techniques working together, but especially this one:

They made Solas’ problem your problem, and they made you make his exact same “mistake.”

I feel the tide of sentiment toward Solas has already changed. How could people be mad at Solas when the player you control decided to help, and by helping, they ruined things? He had plans that might have worked, and they might not have been nearly as bad, without you. So now people will look very silly about complaining about him, especially when he STILL has not told us his real motivation for starting in the first place.

I just can’t believe it. I knew that the main character of DA4 would have to take on Solas’ very valid responsibilities and worries that he STILL has not explained to us (a pet theory of mine was that it was called “Dreadwolf” for so long because DA4 is the story of you taking on Solas’ mantle and his horrible title and his horrible responsibilities and having to finish things for him.)

but I pictured that transfer would happen after a 50% boss fight with Solas. I think this may still happen, but now they’ve set it up very clearly from the very start. And I wasn’t expecting it. I think any newcomer would experience that conversation and be like “this guy seems reallly reasonable and noble in a way I wasn’t expecting”

gosh I’m so excited. The arc that this sets up even for new players!!! I thought new characters wouldn’t be able to enjoy Solas in the same way or see him like I do, but I underestimated Weekes’ writing.

[housederiva]

HERE'S HOW FELASSAN CAN STILL WIN

[bardistraee]

yooooooo is this teia and viago????? at first i thought it was this trailer's rook and inquisitor, but after seeing someone else mention them, they seem more likely. also hello hair physics 👀

[dreadfutures]

Taash

dragon skull, dragon spine, dragon chandelier, matches the screenshot of Taash by a fireplace, open wall for fresh air like in a tropical location

Neve

Workaholic detective conspiracy board, window lighting kinda matches her romance, kinda Tevinter y architecture, and her extra prosthesis is there

Davrin

Architecture looks like Weisshaupt, Griffin shield on the wall, bench press, and lots of wood carvings. Open ceiling for assan, and we can probably get up there for a view of the sky

Emmrich

Skelingtons and Dark Academia

Lace

Plants, nature, flowing water for outdoorsy sounds, sleeping on the ground like a scout, dwarf motifs in the windows

Lucanis

Abused child soldier with no love for his faction or work

Bellara

Veil Jumper shield symbol on the wall, statue head from her concept art page, elven tech.

these are my guesses

[vespaer77]

Calling it now - Sandal is the "mysterious entity" who will help us with crafting (or armor/weapon improvements).

[nadas-dirthalen]

I Saw Solas's Origin in an Achievement Icon and It Opened My Eyes on 15 Years of Lore

— PART ONE —

[ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ]

Welcome, friends and travelers! I wanted to get some thoughts recorded before Veilguard's release so I could see if I am right about an absolute BOATLOAD of theories I have.

In short: I saw the achievement list when it was released. I have seen the backstory hints for Solas included in said list. AND MY MIND WAS BLOWN.

You have been warned: THIS COLLECTION OF THEORIES INCLUDES SPOILERS FOR EVERY DRAGON AGE GAME AND ALL PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL UP TO AND INCLUDING OCTOBER 18, 2024.

Come sit down with me. Make a nice cup of tea (and hide it from Solas). We've got a lot of unpacking to do.

(this photo isn't the spoiler, I just like it.)

On the docket for this post:

What are we actually seeing?

So what does that... mean?

Previous hints to this origin

What this implies for Solas's past and present

SO, without further ado...!

What Are We Actually Seeing?

So. First we need to briefly go over the details of what is IN this image, before anything else.

This memory is called Manifestation. That's as close to the word "Origin" as I've ever heard. Whatever we find here, it's going to tell us where Solas came from.

And what we do find had blown my mind wide open.

We see that the figure displayed is embedded in a stone ceiling. Its branches extend deep into the stone. It also has what looks (to us) like a tail extending below the ceiling, into the open space below. The tail also fans out into branches, like a long and bending twig. What does this remind me of?

Lyrium. Always depicted as coming out from The Stone, bending like twigs and branches into open air. We know now, Lyrium is the blood of the Titans.

The achievement icon's figure has six eyes at the top center, as well. And you know what those remind me of?

The Dread Wolf.

Put those together, and I have concluded: Solas was originally a part of a Titan. He was removed from this Titan and given physical shape.

So What Does This... Mean?

If we confirm that Solas is Titan-born, there are unending implications (and that's why this big collection of theories has six parts). For now, I'll go over the absolute most basic ones.

Solas has connections to a Titan, which has implications for his history, his magic, and every single one of his motivations and his relationships.

Solas was likely created/mined/taken/inspired by Mythal (more on that later). That means that she is the reason he has a body at all, and informs a lot of things about their relationship and, again, Solas's motivations.

Everything we know about the elves and the Evanuris has evolved. If everything they've done is related to the Titans, then every dwarf main is about to be screaming in glee during Veilguard.

Everything we know about the entire history of Thedas has new context. Again, hell yeah for everyone who wanted more dwarf/Titan lore!!

Understanding Solas's origin story is understanding Solas himself. Not only that, but the world he came from. Not only what he's doing now, but every historical reason behind why he chose to do what he has been doing all along.

In short, our entire understanding of Thedas has changed, because we know how one of its oldest beings came to be.

If all that seems like a lot right now, that's because it is. But think about it. Fen'Harel was the god who could walk among both godly clans. The one who could imprison both sets, away from each other.

Knowing what he comes from tells us a LOT about why "both clans" thought he belonged to them. It tells us a LOT about who—and what—he is taking into consideration with his plans to tear down the Veil.

Oh, yeah. We're going to be talking about everything in Thedas.

Previous Hints to This Origin: This Was Always BioWare's Intention

So many people have been calling Veilguard a "reset" on Thedas lore. And regardless of your opinion on the worldstate choices, I will say this: absolutely none of Solas's lore is a retcon. Having just played DA:O and DA2 over the summer, in addition to several playthroughs of Inquisition, in addition to reading Tevinter Nights, The Missing, and both volumes of World of Thedas, I can say with certainty: there have been little hints placed for this reveal over all 15 years.

Yes, I will be dissecting most of these as we go on.

NOTE: This is not a 100% exhaustive list, especially by the time we get to DA:I!

Origins:

the earliest Fen'Harel lore: Fen'Harel walked between both clans of gods, for each of them believed him to be one of their own.

Oghren remarks that the Temple of Sacred Ashes is built around a lot of lyrium, and suggests (perhaps falsely) that that is why the Sacred Ashes of Andraste have healing powers

DA2:

literally Mythal is there, guys. she's there right in the prologue. of course DA2 was also an Evanuris game!! they ALL are!

the focus on the lyrium idol: being the Titans' blood, and being used so extensively in Veilguard (as the dagger) after its mention in Tevinter Nights (where Solas was looking for it and called it "my idol"), my assumption is it has always been a part of him or related to his Titan

red lyrium in general: showing us its effects, setting up the reveal for what it is in Inquisition

Corypheus' appearance in DA2, and how BioWare brought Corypheus in just so the player could see, without a doubt, that Hawke killed Corypheus. This was always meant to be a "HUH?" moment in Inquisition, where the player would see that Corypheus did, in fact, fully come back to life—opening up the door for future questions on how immortality is possible in Thedas

every Merrill mention of Fen'Harel, and having the legend from previous Dalish codices and Fen'Harel statues be placed in dialogue from her personal quest, where far fewer players would miss it or accidentally overlook it

taken together: everything having to do with Corypheus and lyrium in DA2 was preparation for us to establish a connection between lyrium, the Evanuris, immortality, and the blight in DAI.

Inquisition:

Cole's dialogue. Here's just a few lines: (at the lyrium coffins in Trespasser) "They're all singing. Coffers, coffins, corpses that aren't dead. A song crying out in the dark." // (telling Dorian why he doesn't need to eat) "I thought I had to. But I don't. The Old Songs can pull me." // (about wanting to be bound as a spirit) "You should ask Solas to bind you, too. And then someone can bind him."

Also this Cole/Solas exchange:

The entire Well of Sorrows quest. Lyrium, once refined, is a liquid. The Well of Sorrows houses memory: the memories of all who pledged themselves to it.

Solas' dialogue with Sera includes him saying elvish phrases that translate, loosely, to Titan-esque things (more about that in a later post!)

The insight we get into Templar and Seeker magic. Notably, Cole remarks over and over how it's connecting to "that other thing" (Titan magic, presumably) that counters mages' Fade magic. (ex: "The lyrium helps, but their bodies always want to connect to… something older. Bigger than they are. That's why they block magic. They reach for that other thing, and magic has no room to come in.")

Every Vir Dirthara codex has something to do with either lyrium, slain Titans, or that "other" magic (coming from the Pillars of the Earth).

The lullaby found in the Deep Roads in Trespasser is actually an elven explanation of Solas's origin. (more on that in a later post!)

External Media:

Solas calls it HIS red lyrium idol in Tevinter Nights. When the Dread Wolf descends upon the Mortalitasi, he says "MY lyrium idol."

Solas speaks to the Eye of Kethisca, presumably made of lyrium, in Vows & Vengeance Episode 1. The Eye then stops singing.

There is more in this list than I have posted! Much of it requires other explanations and context, however, and would not fit neatly in this list.

What This Implies for Solas's Past and Present

Past:

I think Solas's origination as part of a Titan has HUGE implications for the entire elvhen empire.

I think all of the Evanuris did Lyrium Crimes™, and they can be identified when we look at their vallaslin (later post!)

I also believe that Dirthamen/Falon'Din were originally also split by Elgar'nan, and it is very possible that they are the same kind of "spirit" as Solas.

I think this has huge implications for his relationship with Mythal.

I think that if Solas shares his lyrium/Titan-based lineage with any elves (as possibly evidenced by the lyrium coffins in the Deep Roads), then his rebellion might take root in how many elvhen may not have asked to be born.

I don't think he had to absorb magic from Mythal to get his powers. If anything, he may have been getting those abilities back.

Present:

I think that the Titans may have been injured/sundered when Solas created the Veil, and that is why they forget how to wake up.

I think the Titans, therefore, are the Forgotten Ones.

I think Solas wants to tear down the Veil to wake the Titans.

BIIIIIGGGG Blight implications, seeing as red lyrium is the blood of blighted Titans.

I think, if Solas dies, he may be "returned to the Stone" in the same way we saw in the Descent DLC.

But ALSO? I think this has the potential to explain a LOT of the lore we've been questioning for the last 15 years. And that is why this post is scheduled to have 6 parts by the time I'm through.

Stay tuned. <3

Up Next: (Almost) Every Hint the Elvish Language Gave Us About Solas's Origin

[yolatirra]

So at the end of the gameplay video the Evanuris on the right looks mostly normal. In contrast to the one on the left, it seems kinda weird, so I was looking closer because I felt like there must be something off about them.

And I found something. Haven't seen anyone else mention this yet.

Is that red lyrium? I think that might be red lyrium. Or an ancient elven version of red lyrium.

Also, those faces on their armor are really interesting to me but I don't know what they mean. If this is Elgarnan, maybe the faces of the other Evanuris? If it's Dirthamen or Falon'din, maybe something spirit related?

You can also kinda see their pointy ears here, so for anyone who was wondering if they're not Evanuris and maybe just magisters or something else, nope, they're elves, so it's pretty much confirmed that these are two of the Evanuris.

[the-northern-continent]

Love how Varric is all “damn thing probably sensed Solas’ ego” as if he himself isn’t strolling in to stop a god with the power of dozens of Tevinter mages.

[truetealtears]

Hey if dwarves get access to the fade in datv and presumably the ability to dream, how many dwarves do you think are about to get their shit rocked by fear demons as they have their first nightmare ever

[bumblewarden]

look at the location of the dwarfen settlement(?) on rook’s map. kal-sharok confirmed?

[corseque]

Transferring a twitter Dragon Age 4 theory to tumblr:

This is a theory about the very latest DA4 information that people were upset to learn about because they want to wait for the game rather than hear too much, so look elswhere if that is you. I suspect that Rook is called "Rook" for a reason. I suspect their color is purple for a reason.

Rook is associated with trickery and death, a bad omen.

Hmm.... that reminds me a little of a "dread wolf."

I, for a long time, thought the game was called "Dreadwolf" because the main character would be taking on the trials and tribulations and responsibilities of the Dread Wolf onto their own shoulders. This suspicion has expanded hugely in my mind when I think about DA4 because what exactly is the story set-up, here? What is the Dread Wolf?

Solas, who is playing the role in the story of Dragon Age of an ancient trickster deity, has claim and power over the functions that trickster gods. Namely, power over doorways, thresholds, boundaries.

It doesn't matter what Solas thinks about godhood if he has all the trappings and power of godhood. There is no material difference in a fictional story.

(I love that Solas in the prologue is demonstrating exactly what you would expect from a Trickster God in this situation - manipulating boundaries, and then being Just a Little Guy.)

So the game prologue opens on Solas, a trickster god, delicately manipulating the magical boundary between worlds, which is something that you would expect a trickster god to do. Then unfolds a scene in which a tiny figure (Rook) causes a larger-than-life god (Solas) mischief and, with Rook's foolish meddling, undoes the very fabric of normalcy, trapping the trickster god and throwing the world into chaos, upsetting the very balance of power between the gods, threatening the end of the world.

Rook then recieves power over the Veil the trickster god has, the sacred knife that the trickster god wields, the ability to traverse back and forth between the boundaries only easily traversed by the trickster god, the magical mirror teleportation network of the trickster god, the magical floating Lighthouse home of the trickster god, the responsibilities of the trickster god, etc.

Rook also recieves the advice of the trickster god, whether they want it or not (it seems).

Do you see what I'm saying?

"They call me the Dread Wolf, what will they call you when this is over?"

I think this game may be about Rook becoming a trickster god.

As Felassan tells Briala in The Masked Empire, "[Becoming a god] is for the stories to decide."

Tricksters in folklore are very often mortal, human heroes. Very often, they act stupidly and foolishly (like we are said to do by interrupting Solas in the prologue) and somehow win anyway.

And what more powerful figure could there be, to fight with gods? Only a little guy like Solas or Rook, could hope to fight multiple gods and win. A little tiny trickster hero who makes foolish mistakes but is unkillable like Bugs Bunny is actually the perfect challenger to all-powerful deities.

Anyway, so if we get all of Solas' powers and his responsibilities, if we're, in a way, in training to become a trickster god. We may be stepping into myth and doing his job for him, disrupting things the way he does, and there will be comparisons. (the articles tell us that Solas is comparing himself to Rook, and that he doesn't like what he sees of himself in Rook). People always acted like Solas' situation was incredibly easy, but imo we could never actually understand what his story was, or see it from his point of view, enough to judge him. But if we actually walk in his shoes, then maybe we can actually have a part of the conversation. And later, maybe part of the myth.

The little Rook-bird that tugged the Dread Wolf's tail and let the creators free again, the little trickster Rook that destroyed or saved the world. I wonder what kind of trickster they will call us, when it is all over?

[thedreadblog]

I just had a Hypothetical Thought:

It's odd to me that Solas ends up trapped in his own prison. It's odd to me that he so readily gives a total stranger the reins in trying to fight his two escapees, Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain.

And just now, while re-watching one of the videos posted here on tumblr (which I'm not gonna reblog, videos get reblogged AFTER game release, it's so much easier to spoil people in videos and I'm not gonna.) I wondered if he might pull a Vetinari:

"Never build a dungeon you can't get out of".

In Terry Pratchett's Guards! Guards!, the patrician of the city Ankh-Morpork gets locked up in his own dungeons. When the main character of the story, Captain Sam Vimes, ends up in the dungeon with him, he learns that Vetinari has actually made himself quite comfortable until it is safe to leave again. Vetinari tells Vimes that one should never build a dungeon they wouldn't like to live in themselves, nor should they build one they can't escape.

And I know that Trick is a Discworld reader. They've talked about several of the main characters of the series on Twitter. I know that several of the other devs are as well...they might've gotten inspired.

Look, if this is a thing that happens, I'll be fucking delighted.

[anneapocalypse]

On Lucanis

I've seen a lot of speculation about Lucanis and how he's implied to be dead in "The Wake," and is now apparently alive and well in Veilguard, whether he faked his death to escape the Crows, etc. I think that's a very plausible theory, and might well be correct, but I also have another theory.

Maybe Lucanis is in fact dead.

Maybe that's not Lucanis Dellamorte, but a spirit inhabiting his body.

In Tevinter Nights we're treated to the fascinating story of a bookish guard named Audric who finds that he is actually a spirit inhabiting Audric's body, who had taken on Audric's identity so thoroughly he ceased to remember his origins.

And in "The Wake" there's this interesting line:

The windows and mirrors were all temporarily covered with heavy black velveteen to prevent any wandering souls from getting lost on their way.

Wandering souls, huh. At a wake.

We've had some sort of spirit or possessed companion in every Dragon Age game thus far. In Origins, we have the Spirit of Faith who saved Wynne's life and resides with her, though we never meet that spirit personally. In Awakening, we have Justice, who finds himself trapped in the waking world in Kristoff's body. Justice later joins with Anders and the two of them appear in Dragon Age 2 together, with Justice making occasional appearances. And in Inquisition, we have Cole, a Spirit of Compassion who has crossed the Veil for a suffering mage child he could not save, and so took on his identity (but did not possess him).

Spirits tend to be more drawn to mages, but not exclusively, especially when the host is no longer living. Kristoff and Audric were not mages.

Furthermore, when last we saw Lucanis alive, he was busy putting an end to the horrific machinations of Forfex in "The Wigmaker Job." In the process, he destroys the elven artifact Forfex was using to keep spirits at bay, leading to a number of possessions including Forfex himself, who is ultimately defeated by Lucanis. Following the incident, Lucanis himself is nicknamed The Demon.

In the Veilguard trailer, Lucanis is referred to not as The Crow, but as The Magekiller. It does seem to suggest he has cut ties with the Crows and continued on the path "The Wigmaker Job" set him upon. But what if it's more than that? What if it's no longer Lucanis--or alternatively, not Lucanis alone? If he did die, perhaps a spirit has claimed his body, or perhaps he has even been brought back to life temporarily as Wynne was. If he did not die, perhaps he gained a passenger. Perhaps they are now of one mind in fighting abuses of magic and of spirits, and have seen the Veilguard as aligned with their goals.

I just can't help thinking we might get a surprise spirit companion in Veilguard, and that companion could be Lucanis. :)

[dreadfutures]

yeah yeah wait and see etc but like

:(

wynne was dead; a spirit of faith "revived her" and she "dies" when the spirit of faith leaves her - I argue: the spirit of faith *replaced* wynne perfectly. wynne was dead, and the spirit became her so utterly there was no difference.

evangeline was dead; a spirit of faith "revived her" - I argue evangeline was dead, and the spirit became her so utterly there was no difference.

cole died; a spirit of compassion "revived" him - poorly. if cole had had more of a life before he died, if he hadn't died in such a tragic way, I argue: the spirit would have become a replacement cole, and in fact he does if you make him human - the only difference was that the process was slow enough that we were aware & could influence it

audric died; a spirit "revived" him - poorly. the spirit would have become a replacement audric, if the Mourn Watch was not aware of this process and influenced it - in part bc he came to his body after death and decay had set in.

telanna died; a spirit kept her memory - and became her incompletely

we have so many examples of this replacement, this becoming. There is a huge question in DA about how death works, and what makes person.

so when I see:

lucanis had a wake; he was dead

lucanis has "demonic presence" - so he is a demon in some way

lucanis has "abominate" - abominate as in to cause abominations. that doesn't sound like "i am an abomination" that sounds like causing. which is what demons do.

lucanis has spirit wings

lucanis's card is full of "smears" as if he's not wholly there

...

lucanis died and was completely replaced by a spirit. perhaps perfectly!

but that would be exactly what I didn't really want :<

yes yes wait and see sure maybe we'll like how it's executed

but like. :( we liked Lucanis from the book. even when a spirit "becomes" someone, that spirit is still someone else. and they become someone else as their "life" progresses, often in the direction of the spirit realizing they are not that person.

i would love a spirit companion who is just a spirit companion and not having an identity crisis. Or have it be someone from the mortalitasi/mourn watch, where that regularly happens.

yes yes maybe there will be a twist! OK but like, what's the twist? what's the twist that makes it better that the real lucanis is dead? lol

i'm going to love this game and the storytelling but based on all of our prior examples that plot point in particular would not be my cup of tea in terms of who i want to romance first.

[elvhenguard]

I too also had this theory. The Veilguard has felt like it will be an ending to an era; while also setting up a new chapter for the Dragon Age series. A stepping stone if you will. I think the veil will come down, and the games after The Veilguard will deal with the aftermath of it.