#dragon age tin foil theories

[roguelioness]

I'm back with my tin foil hat on, spoilers beneath the cut-

So the two creatures rising up at the end of the gameplay trailer - I suspect it's Ghila'nain and Elgar'nan, and here's why I think so (this is just speculation!)

(I tried to get the best closeups I could!)

You can see the two beings rising up here:

The figure on the left is, i suspect, Ghila'nain

From The Horror of Hormak it's implied Ghila'nain had an interest in creatures with many limbs. the figure has several appendages in addition to the normal pair of arms.

It's interesting that the face is entirely hidden - or, at the very least, that mask is covering the eyes, because Ghila'nain's story involves losing them-

From the codex entry for Ghila'nain:

Ghilan'nain followed the hunter, and when they were away from all of her sisters, the hunter turned on Ghilan'nain. He blinded her first, and then bound her as one would bind a kill fresh from the hunt.

If she doesn't have eyes, it makes sense that she would cover them up. There's also her mosaic from the Temple of Mythal that could be taken as extra appendages:

(granted the mosaic in its entirety had those as part of halla horns, but... why are they covered in the same material as the face?) I think - going off of HoH - she was at one point Andruil's priestess, and at some point of time (perhaps when Andruil went hunting into the void) discovered the weird green lyrium which she then used to conduct her terrifying experiments. And because of that ability, she was granted ascension. Whether or not she transformed herself into that creature pre- or post-ascension is something I hope we'll learn (was it done deliberately? or was it a side effect? so many questions!)

Now my reasoning for this being Elgar'nan is a bit shakier; the first thing that made me go hmmm was a line from the Dragon Age Day trailer:

"All the world will soon share the peace and comfort of my reign."

That to me reads like Head-of-the-Pantheon kind of speech (I told you my reasoning was shaky lol)

But the other thing that has my raising my eyebrows is, well, Flemythal. The Chasind know Flemeth as Mother of Vengeance, and Elgar'nan is considered to be the god of vengeance (and Mythal's husband). Flemeth's speech about Mythal - "she was betrayed, as I was betrayed, as the world was betrayed" I thought referred to the veil's creation, but I'm beginning to wonder if it was a reference to Elgarn'an, seeing as he (along with Mythal) were supposed to have remade the world (from the codex entry for Mythal). If Elgar'nan took part in her murder, it could be seen as him (metaphorically) betraying the world. The other thing that caught my eye was his mosaic from Temple of Mythal:

The figure in the mosaic has two curves going outward from the shoulder region, which matches the armor the figure in the trailer is wearing. Granted this could mean nothing, seeing as how Flemeth's attire (specifically her hair) more resembles the mosaic for Mythal's dragon form than Mythal herself, but considering none of the other mosaics had anything similar to this makes me think Elgar'nan is the likeliest candidate.

Anyway, thank you for coming to my ted talk :D

[lilllithdraagon]

@lunadys and I have been talking. And maybe this is controversial, but we've always maintained that the Veil has gotta come down. It's like so many people hear, "The veil is thin here, the Veil thin here." And Sera MOCKING Solas for how much he says that. AND HOW EASY TEARS IN THE VEIL FORM. And somehow, the idea that the Veil is unravelling seems to go over some people's heads.

It is breaking apart. It is in TATTERS by Inquisition. We've been holding it together with ducttape and a dream.

It's like the floor is rotting out beneath us, and he's ripping it up. But everyone is SCREAMING "Where will we walk!" and risking the collapse of the entire house to stop him.

Why are we all so adamant that Solas shouldn't bring it down in a more controlled and humane manner? He outright SAYS there is no other way. He outright SAYS every other option is worse. He wants you to find a better way, but in the nine years since the last game, how has that been going?

Varric went up those stairs trying to get through to Solas. And presented him with the same speech they have been giving Solas for a decade. I think SOLAS might have actually been getting through to Varric. In that hushed conversation.

So when Solas says, "I have taken measures to minimise the damage." And ROOK decided that he wants to know what the worst case scenario will look like first hand, and kicks out the flooring supports.

I am shit scared.

And from the look on Solas' face. So is he.

[veil-jumprope]

It's 4am, I can't sleep, and it's now dragon age tin foil conspiracy hours. Please add your craziest theories! I'll go first.

Seekers are possessed by a spirit of Faith. When they made themselves Tranquil and a spirit of Faith "touched their mind" to awaken them, that spirit now actually lives within them. That's why they have powers and can't be possessed anymore.

[himluv]

DA: The Veilguard Predictions/Theories, pt. 3

Okay, last one, I promise. And this one is, uhhhhhh, real strong on the tinfoil. Bear with me.

Read part 1 here :)

Read part 2 here :)

3. DA:D’s Real Big Bad™

Okay, this is probably my most outrageous and unsubstantiated theory - but it’s also the one I’m most excited for. Buckle up, kids, because I think The Architect is back! 

So, when Bioware released the Dragon Age Day 2023 Thedas Calls trailer, Mark Darrah mentioned in the corresponding blog post that there was more to the trailer than just location reveals, “for those who listen closely.” Well, lemme tell you, I listened real close over and over again until something struck me.

“All the world will soon share the peace and comfort of my reign.” 

That voice… I know that voice, don't I? 

“I do not seek to rule my brethren. I only seek to release them from their chains.” 

The Architect told the Warden in Dragon Age: Awakening that it intended to use Grey Warden blood to return self-awareness and “freedom” to the Darkspawn, freeing them from their tethers to the Archdemons. 

But this was not The Architect’s first plan. No, its first plan was much, much worse. In The Calling, Maric, Duncan, Fiona and the other Grey Warden’s meet The Architect in the Deep Roads and learn that its plan is to spread the Blight over all of Thedas, thus ensuring a “lasting peace”. Nevermind that two-thirds of the population wouldn’t survive the process. **stares in solavellan**

A “lasting peace.”

“The peace and comfort of my reign.”

Now, sure, The Architect has stated that it doesn’t want to rule over its brethren, but that was in 9:31 Dragon. It’s been working on this plan since at least 9:10 Dragon (when The Calling takes place) and Dreadwolf is likely to take place somewhere around 9:52 Dragon. The Architect has had 40 years to scheme and experiment and come to the bitter realization that – if there is to be peace – it may have to rule after all. 

And I’m sure Corypheus’s rise and fall did not go unnoticed by The Architect. With Solas’s machinations putting a ticking clock on Thedas’s existence, perhaps The Architect feels the pressure to end the Blights once and for all, and bring its corrupted brand of “peace” to Thedas.

When you need to spread the Darkspawn taint in record time, what do you do? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe awaken two Archdemons simultaneously and unleash them upon the world? (as a treat?) After all, there can be no more Blights once all the Old Gods have been corrupted…

Which would directly pit The Architect against Solas AND the protagonists of DA:D. And, basically everyone, because no one wants a double Blight and/or to suffer a continent-wide Darkspawn plague.

So, yeah. That’s my super-duper tin-foil hat theory for Dreadwolf (now The Veilguard). Obviously, I could be completely wrong about everything. There’s so much lore in Dragon Age, and yet so little of that lore is unequivocally proven true. It’s all in-world texts that can be – and frequently are – wrong. So, even with exhaustive research and codex mining, there’s ALWAYS a chance that some fundamental piece of “evidence” turns out to just be… incorrect. 

In my opinion, that’s part of what makes this series so. effing. compelling. The whole world feels like an excavation, one where every interaction holds the potential for yet another clue. So, even if I am wrong, I can’t wait to learn the truth.

[g0lightly]

*me tuning into HOTD back in 2023 bc of that negroni spagliatto vid*: "god imagine caring enough about this show to have a favorite dragon" *me in my notes unironically in 2024*: see above

based dreamfyre's only bodycount is from trying to escape the dragonpit (the only one to break free from her chains thats my bbygirl 🙂‍↕️) which 1) was self-defense 2) in freeing herself to break the dragonpit dome dreamfyre also effectively sacrificed herself to do more for the in-universe equivalent of nuclear disarmament than... anyone else?!

it's simply impossible for me not to stan dreamfyre and her dragonriders! rhaena rode her around the realm to bond with her girlfriends and to search for her missing daughter! probably the only time helaena ever felt remotely free in her life was on dreamfyre! the fact that the dragon that arguably embodies some of the most important themes of the series (other than balerion though i feel this also enhances her as a foil to him) is basically absent from the show is a damned tragedy in my opinion.

theory under the cut, TW discussion of a character's suicide.

i have a theory that helaena's suicide -- described as mysterious by the maesters -- may have had more to it. it's easy and frankly, reasonable to understand it in the text as a tragic and all too common example of the way women's mental health has been historically neglected. however, as we're seeing in the HOTD adaptation, halaena is a dragon dreamer. GRRM has even said that show helaena is "a richer and more fascinating character than the one I created in FIRE & BLOOD," specifically citing her gift of prophecy as a major component of that compliment. as he explains in the post, helaena in the books is has few personality traits and her close bond with dreamfyre is one of them.

what if helaena lived a second life in dreamfyre after her death? even in the book where she is not intended to be a dragon dreamer, her motivation to do this could be to regain the freedom she enjoyed while riding dreamfyre or to simply use her power to end the violence. or perhaps it just happened because their bond was so strong. in the show, i wonder if helaena will do this because she sees in a dragon dream that it is the only way to end the most brutal ravages of the war? especially given the way that helaena spoke of the way lowborn women must lose their children more often than highborn women, i imagine that the grief of the mothers around helaena is weighing on her in addition to her own grief.

what if helaena intentionally sacrificed herself and dreamfyre to prevent more death? in the text, i think it's significant that dreamfyre was noted to be blinded in one eye before she broke the dome. this mirrors the loss of aemond targaryen's eye, arguably the event that set the war into motion. thematically, dreamfyre's sacrifice in death seems to represent the end of the cycle started by this eye for an eye mentality that led to so much death and destruction.

if you'd like some extra tin foil hat with your theory, i also wonder if dreamfyre actually didn't get crushed and managed to escape but the maesters said she died with the other dragons when the dome fell because it would look really bad if she didn't. she's one of many dragons whose remains are unconfirmed however she is the only dragon that broke free from her chains in the dragonpit.

even if dreamfyre did physically die, did she psychically die? she previously lived at harrenhal with rhaena targaryen; could dreamfyre be the dragon that alys rivers was reported to hold at harrenhal? rhaena appears to have been the first to be called a "witch queen" at harrenhal; could this have been her plan for dreamfyre all along, a plan dreamfyre understood due to the depth of their bond? i love helaena and rhaena the fuck DOWN on their own so obviously this idea of them having a psychic suffering witch queen bond through the ages via dreamfyre makes me rhaegar levels of emo tbh

[silvereestars]

My Interests!

Here’s a list of all the fandoms I’m in/was into! (WARNING: Very long post ahead! If you want to see what fandoms I’m w/o the reading, just look at the tags!)

EDIT: NEVERMIND, THE TAG LIMIT FOILED ME /GEN /LH I am SO sorry, but the last few fandoms got cut out from the tag list! You’ll have to scroll down to the bottom to see them-

Crowned: These fandoms are VERY near and dear to my heart- and I’m ALWAYS willing to talk about them!

The Legend of Zelda: This is the fandom that introduced me to the internet back in 2019 (I’m a late bloomer, I know- XDDD), and kickstarted me making theories and analyses!

Friday Night Funkin: Hate it or love it, you can’t deny there are some amazing individuals out there! And for you modders out there, this game is actually heavily moddable- and one mod in particular was what caused FNF to blow up in the first place! This is actually the fandom I’m hyper fixating on right now-

Favorites: While they aren’t as important to me as the “crowned” ones, they still managed to hold my attention for a month or so- and that’s something to admire, considering how hyper my brain is!

Animator Vs Animation: This is the fandom that introduced me to Tumblr and AO3 back in the late summer of 2021- don’t worry, @ann-aha, you’re not alone! XDDD

Oh, and I can’t talk about “AvA” without mentioning the rest of the stick figure community! Shout out to Henry Stickmin, Rock Hard Gladiators/Hyun’s Dojo, Hyun, and Gildedguy! :D

Genshin Impact: Contrary to popular opinion, this game isn’t just for “nerds” or people who can afford to splurge thousands of dollars- I managed to complete the current (back then!) storyline as a free-to-player! While I’m not in the fandom anymore, at least give this one a chance?

Undertale: Ah yes, the funny skeleton man fandom /j /lh But seriously, this fandom isn’t all “Sans Fangirls”- just search up animations and artwork! Or, better yet- search up a full play through of the game (I recommend this order for newcomers- Neutral, Pacifist, Genocide) and let the story and gameplay do the talking! ^^

Just Shapes and Beats: Exactly what it says on the tin. Pro tip- once you’ve seen the full story mode, go check out KofiKrumble!

Minecraft: Of course I’d be into this fandom at some point, everyone will! I’m not into DreamSMP (please don’t kill me I’m just not interested in stuff like server-wide wars), but I AM fond of Hermitcraft and Empires!

Normal: I don’t really think about these fandoms too often, but they deserve a mention! 

Harry Potter

Voltron: Legendary Defender

My Hero Academia

The Owl House (hey, while this fandom isn’t one of my favorites, you bet I watched the finale and cried the whole time!)

Doki Doki Literature Club (somewhat- in my master post, I mentioned I hate horror, so I avoid gameplay and stick to tvtropes/summaries- sorry- ^^;)

Kipo & The Age of Wonderbeasts

Pokémon

How To Train Your Dragon

Marvel (The Avengers!)

Mario

Splatoon

Kirby

Subnautica

Trollhunters (and the rest of the Tales of Arcadia! I LOVED that series- except for Rise of The Titans. We don’t talk about Rise of The Titans. /gen /lh)

Carmen Sandiego

Amphibia

“The Big Three”: These were the fandoms I was into as a little kid, and inspired me to start making fan fiction & headcanons!

Kung Fu Panda: Oh my god, I loved this series- and a 4th movie’s coming in 2024!

Big Hero Six: This is the OG- the first fandom I EVER got into! :D

Wakfu: Yugo accidentally inspired an OC (no info- yet! Not unless I learn how to draw!), so it’d be a crime to not include this fandom!

Well, I think that’s all- for now! If you want to learn about favorite characters, theories, head canons and the like- just ask! :D

[emerald-amidst-gold]

Never fails. I start playing Inquisition or any of the Dragon Age games and I magically don the tin foil hat. 

Here I am, running around the Exalted Plains, seething at every codex because fuck the Chantry, and my mind goes:

‘...Why dragons? Why would they have Old God souls?’

So, after that question passed, my mind spiraled into its vortex of theories. I literally sat here, eating my dinner, staring at the game for several minutes and then it clicked. 

What if they’re vessels? What if the dragons depicted as Old Gods weren’t actually the Old Gods? What if they were simply chosen dragons, or some type of guardians to harbor those fragments as a means of keeping them safe from the Blight?

Dragons have immense resistance to the Blight (there’s a codex that states that), but still go out of their way to avoid areas of corruption. But again, they have resistance, growing cysts to contain the Taint from spreading through their blood and thus their mind and body. Obviously, that doesn’t make them impervious; they eventually can become corrupted. 

That leads me into the dragons imprisoned in the Deep Roads; what if they were sentenced to those underground prisons not as a means of punishment, but as a means of guarding? We already know the Old God souls and the Evanuris are somehow connected, and my theory is that those fragments are types of keys to a very specific set of locks (The Black City). However, what happens when a key is rusted? It won’t work; it falls apart and jams the lock. The minute those dragons become tainted (Old God soul in tow), then that particular key is void, unless there’s someone to interfere (Dark Ritual/Flemeth/Solas) and pick up the baton before it’s too late, before those locks break from less delicate means. (Grey Warden interference or complete transformation into an Archdemon) 

And that’s the problem; those dragons were down there for too long. Their bodies lay sleeping, slumbering while the Taint and corruption swirled around them and within them. The Blight had spread, no longer contained, unchecked for centuries and those who held the souls had to endure in slumber until the sand glass finally ran out and they couldn’t resist any longer; the darkspawn finding them, pushing the final domino to send the rest falling, and bursting those cysts of corruption so it would fester. 

*lays down and rubs temples* ...I could be completely grasping at straws and blowing this shit out of proportion, but it’s just...why? Why would dragons have a natural resistance to the Blight? They also have enough awareness to know that it’s something they should steer clear of. Most animals do, but dragons have a resistance. 

...Was that given to them? Ahhhh, I need to stop, but I can’t!

[mogwaei]

Tevinter Nights Tinfoil

MY HAT IS ON TIGHT

After reading Dread Wolf Take You I was naturally obsessing over every little thing the Bard said and did (because who wasn't?)

Annnd while I was drawing that Cursed Solas Bard I was thinking about his mask and how it was inlaid with opal.

In DAI, Vivienne has dialogue with Varric:

Varric: Alright, how much trouble am I in for this book?

Vivienne: Don't be ridiculous, darling. Why would you be in trouble?

Varric: For the villain thing?

Vivienne: Not at all! I find it delightful.

Varric: Seriously?

Vivienne: My dear, if I didn't want for people to fear me, I wouldn't dress like this. The book is perfect.

───────

Vivienne: Varric, darling, what manner of villain am I in your novel?

Varric: You're the scheming duchess, coldly maneuvering her political rivals into a trap.

Vivienne: Yes, but what am I wearing? You are not going to describe me in anything less than the latest fashions, are you?

Varric: I'm... going to spend the next few weeks researching Orlesian gowns, aren't I?

Vivienne: Yes, my dear. And my mask should be inlaid with opals.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S A COINCIDENCE GUYS >:0

(thanks for urging me to post this @felassan!)

[dirthenera]

HOLY SHIT. I just had an epiphany!! Tl:dr, Skyhold, the original Skyhold, is the Black city. 

So. On the notes in skyhold, there's one that talks about a flattened elvhen structure underneath, that someone tried to umm... Unflatten. And it called a shitton of lightning and killed him.

A page from an enchanter's journal, scorched to near-illegibility. the style is an old Fereldan dialect, circa mid to late Divine Age:

Experiments in ambient lingerings, first staging:

The question isn't "is it special?" The question is "how special?" We found relics, but there are always relics. Elves ranged far before their empire was crushed, but rarely did they return where they did not build. This place, they visited again and again. I see it in the fragments—clays from different nations, not just craftsmen. Styles from different centuries, not just clans. And yet no record of a ruin. The structures here are all Fereldan, with stone ferried up by a typical madman. Whatever was here, whatever natural spire, it was flattened for a floor. But I know the common shapes, and I will erect them as was custom. And we shall see what the elves wished to see.

The note below is in a different, uneducated hand:

I finish this for Master Ganot. His workings brought lightning. Much lightning. The rods are pools of metal now, and all his workings burned. Master was also struck. I write for him his last words because his fingers are ash and he did not live the night.

"The Veil is old here."

We know from Trespasser that Skyhold is where the veil was created.

It used to have an elvhen structure that is no longer there.

Know what's in the center of The Fade?

Fuuuuu I was on the Arlathan is the Black City train, but it was bothering me that we know Tevinter sacked what was left of Arlathan long after the creation of the veil. This... Fits.

[wyrdsistersofthedas]

All Frescos: Symbols in Dragon Age Art (Part 1)

When is a triangle not a triangle?

So....Tevinter Nights!  Still reading it, but you know me and maps.  I kind of like them.  And while the book’s map is short on details, it had one very interesting image that caught my eye.  

Let me zoom in a bit for you.

What an interesting depiction of the Veil!  Complete with spikey projections!!  Then I thought...we’ve seen those triangles before. Here they are clearly labeled as a visual representation of the Veil.  And if they represent the Veil between the Fade and the Mortal World then...

....it is very likely that they mean the same thing here.  

So this image may well be meant to show Solas creating the Veil.  

Now that alone might not be groundbreaking.  I think many of us thought that the triangles could represent magic or the Fade, but it seems to be more specific than that.  These triangles are the Veil in Solas’ art.  

Taking this as a working theory, then some interesting tin-foil hat analyses of the his other frescos is possible.  Here is what I am thinking:

He walked among The People, freeing them of their bonds, cloaked in a proto-Veil (***) that shielded him and his followers from the eyes of the Evanaris.

Fen’Harel summoned all of his strength and cunning to raise the Veil across Thedas.

The Veil sundered the world of mortals from the Fade, but the alternative was worse.  More war and more Titans felled for their orbs.

Thus the Veil keeps the Evanuris imprisoned in the Fade.  Even now they watch through the mirrors, twisted and vengeful, waiting for a time they can return.  And the sickness grows from within.

At least, that is one interpretation.  These Veil triangles seem to be a go to symbol in Nick Thornborrow’s Dragon Age art (and if you can’t see these images, check out the beautiful full size versions there!).  You can see a faded, failing Veil in the top right corner of the Dread Wolf Rises mural.  

(The Veil is stretched too thin and chaos engulfs the world? And that Maker forsaken idol is the key?  Yeah, that totally sounds like something that could happen in DA4.)

We already know that Nick Thornborrow uses symbols in a deliberate manner so it stands to reason that these triangles always represent the Veil, whether Solas was the artist or not.

The Veil triangles also appears in some of the tarot cards he created:

A demon with the mark of its Veil crossing fresh on its back.

Here is Corypheus sundering the Veil.

Thus image of the Sentinel Elves is interesting because we see the Veil triangles again, but also the diamond shapes on the right.  Makes me wonder if the triangle represents the Veil from the mortal realm while the diamond shape is how it looks from a Faded perspective.

If that is the case, then I need to revise an analysis I did in another post.  Sweet!  That turns that image in an interesting direction!  It still is the Evanuris trapped beyond the Veil, but the central symbol may mean more than I thought initially.  I’ll have to update that soon!

When the triangle is the Veil...

So what can we do with this information?  Knowing one symbol often makes others more decipherable.  This leads to theories about these art works being more grounded in reasonable assumptions.  It also shows us that when we see those same symbols used in other artwork, we can reasonably infer that they mean the same thing.  

That is exciting because the imagery in Solas’ art shows up in other places that were not created by our favorite hobo apostate with god thighs.  It would be a fun project to create a visual dictionary of common iconography used in Dragon Age and their likely meanings.  While it will mostly still be guess work, it is a starting place....

Thanks for reading!  I hope y’all are staying safe during these crazy times!

-MM

***PS - Those “V” shapes that I said might be a proto-Veil earlier in this post might also represent a mage who is talented at breaking the Veil.  Might be part of the reason why Corypheus was so interested in Calpernia.

[roguelioness]

Friendly reminder that the Old Gods had high priests (you know, those guys? The ones who did the whole “let’s picnic in the Golden City” and ended up blighted?)

Seven Old Gods - Seven blighted high priests.

Dumat, the Dragon of Silence - The Conductor of the Choir of Silence Zazikel, the Dragon of Chaos - The Madman of Chaos Toth, the Dragon of Fire - The Forgewright of Fire Andoral, the Dragon of Slaves - The Appraiser of Slavery Uthemiel, the Dragon of Beauty - The Architect of the Works of Beauty Razikale, the Dragon of Mystery - The Augur of Mystery Lusacan, the Dragon of Night - The Watchman of Night

Of the seven Old Gods, five turned into archdemons and were slain. Of their high priests, only two have been encountered thus far (interestingly enough, they’re the only ones with ~expanded~ names).

To summarize, here’s everything that Thedas can look forward to:

Two would-be archdemons

Five blighted (and powerful) magisters (who can command and lead darkspawn, as well as manipulate grey wardens, and who are capable ot thought, have powerful magic [including blood and blight magic] and who, for the most part, seem to really want to become gods)

One very sad and guilt-ridden elven god who wants to tear down the Veil

Seven sleeping power-hungry (and potentially blighted?) elven gods who are definitely going to be cranky as hell when they wake

One very pissed off kinda-dead elven goddess who really, really wants revenge

(one word: Titans)

Bonus: the DA4 protagonist

[virlath]

Sera and the small painted box

One of the burning questions I’ve had since DAO is, what exactly was inside the painted box we stole from First Enchanter Irving’s room in the Circle Tower?

I had an epiphany the other day reading more into The Calling, and what follows is a pretty wild theory about Sera, the small painted box, red lyrium, and her connection to Andruil.

spoilers for everything, get your popcorn, and byo tin foil; the rabbit hole goes deep. 

The small painted box

Before the Inquisition and during the events of DAO, Sera was around ten years old, ‘playing with small painted boxes and burying stuff [she] stole’ in Denerim.

Based on her dialogue in DAI, it is strongly hinted the small painted box as part of the Friends of Red Jenny quest in Origins is associated to Sera’s childhood.

The quest seems like a standard fetch and deliver quest and it starts when you find a small painted box in First Enchanter Irving’s personal room in the Circle Tower. 

You then find the following note on a traveler when you are ambushed by Zevran:

The task was never promised to be easy. You said you could enter the Circle Tower, and you were believed. Find the small painted box in First Enchanter Irving's office and deliver it to the door marked in Denerim as agreed, or be prepared to find yourself hunted across Ferelden.

--Friends of Red Jenny

(There is a sketched map of several doors. It requires the box to be placed on it to block out false leads.)

A large shadow and a child’s laugh can be heard from behind the door when the deal is done, a clear hint that Sera was involved in this quest somehow. (also note the large shadow and change in air pressure when the door is opened...). After delivering the box, the quest is complete and you go on your merry way.

But what if the quest was something more? The item in the box was clearly important enough to warrant a manhunt if the person failed to deliver as promised.

What if the entire quest was a blip in a string of events throughout history hinting at bigger schemes going on behind the scenes? 

What if what was being carted around and stolen by the Jennies was in fact an enchanted red lyrium dagger previously used by First Enchanter Remille in The Calling?

The ebony black dagger

The Calling by David Gaider is a prequel book to DAO and recounts Maric’s journey into the deep roads as his party uncovers the Architect’s plans prior to the events of Origins/Awakening.

To cut a long story short, an ebony black dagger is a major plot item in the book, used by Duncan in the final battle to defeat First Enchanter Remille who was using blight magic taught to him by the Architect. 

Reading the story with the hindsight of DAI and Tevinter Nights, I am convinced the ebony dagger in The Calling is made from the same type of magic as the red lyrium idol. I also think there is a good chance the ebony dagger is what was contained within the painted box that we stole from Irving’s room and delivered to the Red Jennies.

Duncan first steals this dagger from Remille’s room in the Circle’s tower at the start of the book. A reminder that the story is set in 9:10 Dragon, 30+ years before the events of DAO.

Duncan was about to start searching the desk more carefully when something tucked away at the bottom of the wardrobe caught his eye. Something glittering amid a pile of rolled-up linens. Hidden. A slow smile crept across his face as he knelt down and moved some of the rolls aside. This revealed a red lacquered box, longer than it was wide and with a small golden lock. Very fancy, the sort of thing one might keep jewelry in, he thought.

Ignoring any warning thoughts about magical protection, he examined the lock closely and then reached into his belt to retrieve two fine pieces of wire. The lockpick was small enough to do the job, he figured, and as he quietly plucked away at the lock mechanism he was pleased to see he was right. It resisted him with click sounds until finally it gave way and released. Cautiously, he pulled it out and opened the lid of the box, half expecting it to explode.

It didn’t. Duncan gasped as he looked in the box to see an ebony-black dagger lying upon red silk. The entire dagger seemed to have been carved from a single piece of glossy stone, looking almost as if it was made of glass. Was it obsidian? He had heard of such a material but never actually seen it before. The hilt was beautiful, delicate ridges leading up to a pommel carved into a roaring dragon’s head. As he lifted it out gingerly, he saw what looked like red veins within the black blade, tiny cracks along its surface. He would have thought it was blood, but running his finger along the side told him it was perfectly smooth. Not a stain or blemish.

Now this was worth stealing. This was something special, something that the First Enchanter prized enough to hide within his own chambers...

Chuckling with amusement, Duncan slid the blade into his shirt. Where the smooth metal touched his skin he felt a tingle. Not unpleasant, and almost warm. It made him like the weapon all the more.

Read the entire excerpt above and compare the description to the red lyrium idol in the 2018 teaser...

..and tell me THE DAGGER AND THE IDOL ARE NOT MADE OF THE SAME THING.

Also, note the red lacquered box the dagger is found in.

This is a pretty big deal - not only because it’s now obvious red lyrium enchanted items have clearly been floating around a lot longer than I thought (way before the fifth blight even), but also because there is a very good chance Sera has come in contact with the same red lyrium enchanted dagger in her childhood.

Whether this was by fate, chance, or something else (Andruil perhaps? I’ll get to her later) is anyone’s guess, but I have a hunch her biggest fear, the Nothing (or the Void), is connected to her mysterious past and the reason why she is so scared of confronting her truth.

Prior to this revelation, I always assumed Sera’s painted boxes were like a child’s hobby to pass time. But there is actually nothing in lore stopping the boxes from being containers for stolen items, including being a red lacquered box. 

The Jennies have been around for well over a hundred years (possibly longer) and Sera somehow rose in the ranks at a very young age. Could her involvement in procuring this item as well as her natural talent for bows sped up her promotions?

The thing that sells this theory to me is that First Enchanter Irving actually replaces Remille after he is defeated in The Calling.

It is easy to assume Irving inherited Remille’s magical belongings including the box and the dagger. Coincidentally, the painted box is found in the First Enchanter’s room both times.

Furthermore, the Red Jennies in DAO clearly knew whatever was inside this box was important, and they were very specific with their instructions.

You said you could enter the Circle Tower, and you were believed. Find the small painted box in First Enchanter Irving's office and deliver it to the door marked in Denerim as agreed, or be prepared to find yourself hunted across Ferelden.

Remember during the time of the fifth blight, literally no one knew anything about red lyrium, let alone the blight or even darkspawn for that matter. Most people were even dismissing the idea of a blight entirely! So how was it that the Jennies knew this dagger was significant enough to warrant a manhunt over it?

Enchanted red lyrium

While we’re on the topic of the dagger, let’s talk about red lyrium for a bit.

Thus far only enchanted red lyrium has been able to nullify the effects of the blight/red lyrium. This can be seen with Sandal’s rune in DA2, Dagna’s rune in DAI on Samson’s armour, and possibly even in Tevinter Nights to nullify the piece of the Black City, called Dumat’s Folly. 

I’m convinced the ebony dagger is similarly made of enchanted red lyrium, because Remille initially allied with the Architect on the premise they would taint the entire world, but he never planned to follow through with it. He was only interested in the power of blight magic, and so needed a way to counter the Architect to betray their alliance.

In the final battle against him, no ordinary magic could counteract Remille’s spells. Only Duncan was able to slice through the shadows with the ebony black dagger before it ‘consumed him’.

Desperate, he stabbed at the shadow with his dagger. Better to carve off his own flesh than be eaten whole by this magic. To his surprise, he didn’t stab himself. The moment the blade so much as touched the shadow, they recoiled from it. He began pressing the blade with frenzied haste against his body wherever the darkness touched him, and each time it retreated.

Within moments he had escaped, backing against a wall and breathing rapidly. Terror raced through him as he stared at the inky black pool that lay just a foot from him, now sizzling.

...The dagger almost pulsated now. He stared at it as realization slowly dawned on him. He had stolen this from the First Enchanter’s quarters, something the man had hidden away...he’d hidden it from the prying eyes of the templars and the other mages. It was made of the same magic that the Architect had taught him! 

...

The mage unleashed a sphere. It flew at Duncan, making a shrieking sound as it sailed through the air, and when it reached him he closed his eyes and swiped at it with the dagger.The shrieking turned into a burst of sound that resembled a wail, and he felt a wave of coldness wash over his skin. It was like being dunked into a freezing pool of water, but he didn’t slow and he wasn’t hurt.

The dagger’s enchantment also protected Duncan from the brooches Remille gave to the party at the start of the book to ‘hide them from darkspawn'. The brooches did work as intended, but unbeknownst to them the brooches also accelerated the taint within the wardens which allowed the Architect to track them easily.

This was why Duncan hadn’t been affected by his brooch like the others had. His skin had never corrupted, he’d never heard the Calling, all because the dagger’s enchantment had protected him.

To be clear, it’s never explicitly stated what the painted box in DAO looked like or if anything was even in the box, however I would guess it probably does contain the dagger considering it was left in Remille’s chest after he is killed. Presumably it was later retrieved when the tower was cleaned up and forgotten about thereafter. 

I do wonder why Duncan never thinks to retrieve the dagger for inspection though, considering he and Fiona are later recalled to Weisshaupt to report on the Architect’s powers. The wardens take an interest in studying the brooches Remille gave them, so it’s bit of a mystery as to why they didn’t think to inspect the dagger as well. Duncan isn’t a mage so perhaps he wrote it off as some custom enchantment Remille cooked up and tied to him personally.

And to be fair, no one really had much first-hand knowledge of fighting the darkspawn and the blight for centuries before this, so maybe it was simply an oversight from everyone. Blight magic was and still is a huge mystery because rarely anyone has seen it and lived to tell the tale. The dagger also only activates around blight magic so to most people it would just look like a static glossy black dagger (with red veins through it).

Where did the dagger come from and why did Remille have it in his possession?

It is never explained how Remille obtained the ebony black dagger in the first place, but given the fact he first met the Architect in the Fade I’m going to guess a separate third party got wind of his alliance and offered him an alternative deal. 

Perhaps the Red Jennies were involved behind the scenes and they helped plant the dagger in Remille’s room. Perhaps the mastermind behind this scheme hinged their bets on the assumption Remille would choose sole power over an alliance with the Architect because that is what they expected him to do.

Taking this idea one step further, I believe the mastermind behind this could very well be Flemeth herself, who warned Maric a blight was coming way back in The Stolen Throne. Remember, she’s been around a long time and knows the hearts of men. 

"Men's hearts hold shadows darker than any tainted creature."

How could she have known about a future blight if she did not have prior knowledge of the Architect’s plans?

Personally, I believe she has been playing a long game of “chess” with various third parties throughout history (the “Old Gods”) in an attempt to seek out her revenge/end-game. 

The issue of the blight is the most pervasive problem in Thedas and it’s becoming increasingly clear to me that Flemeth’s main opponents in all of this are the “old god” whisperers who have been whispering in the minds of men since the veil was created.

I think the Architect (and the rest of the darkspawn magisters) are pawns to higher beings impersonating the Old Gods with the end goal of tainting the entire world. The old god dragons are a different matter entirely - third parties caught between the power struggle of blight vs. no blight, and are unfortunately for them, magically sealed within their prisons underground.

Solas loathes the idea of the Grey Wardens killing off the old gods preemptively the instant he catches wind of it, yet this same idea is explored by the Architect way before the Fifth Blight. I believe Flemeth and Solas are on the same page with regards to this and they both know slaying the Old Gods preemptively is a bad idea.

Flemeth says herself she nudges history, or shoves it when required. But she also says things happened that were never meant to happen. 

Perhaps she tried stopping the fifth blight by making the enchanted dagger available to Remille, but the unknown factored in and the Architect managed to get away before he could be killed. 

When the Architect preemptively started the fifth blight by awakening Urthemiel, she sent Morrigan with the HoF so she had a chance to preserve the old god soul.

And after the events of DAI, her ‘shove’ to history is passed on to her lackey, Solas, because all her chips have been lined up in the previous 40+ years of plotting and manipulating.

As for the dagger in question, a few questions remain.

Do the Red Jennies still have the dagger in their possession and where is it now? 

Did Sera come into contact or use this dagger at any point after the HoF delivered it in Denerim? 

Will the dagger come into play in the future as an alternative way to counteract blighted creatures or even Solas or the evanuris?

Does the red lyrium idol act similarly to the ebony dagger, given the fact it has been described as a ritual blade in Tevinter Nights and possibly was the weapon Merrill spoke of in DA2??? Massive implications if so.

Sera is an echo of Andruil

I am convinced Sera is a wisp or echo of Andruil and she’s retained jumbled up bits of her memories and abilities from ancient Elvhenan. 

The theory has already been well explained in great detail here so I encourage you to check it out:

Sera’s connection to the ebony dagger from The Calling is very suspicious to me, because there is strong evidence Andruil had been dabbling with the blight and the Void, so much so Mythal had to steal her memories from her to cure her ‘insanity’.

If Sera hosts even a wisp of Andruil (which I strongly believe she does), was Andruil ‘killed’ like Mythal at some point in time and is only now just reforming as Sera? 

Is Andruil now trying to help rid the world of the blight instinctively after seeing the devastation it caused first hand?

I disagree with the notion that Sera being Andruil cheapens her character. To be honest when I first heard the theory I didn’t want to buy into it either. It felt too convenient and on-the-nose. But there are simply too many coincidences and foreshadowing that I can’t ignore anymore. There is definitely something special about Sera.

If anything having this theory confirmed would strengthen her overall character arc and the DA universe as a whole to me, because there is still so much potential for her character by the end of Trespasser. Solas says himself, when spirits die they can reform if their spirit form was strong or if the memory was shaped by other spirits.

Sera is a character that is easy to hate but in my opinion, one of the most self aware and insightful characters in the series. She says herself around the start of the game that she wants to see what’s true for herself. 

She was raised as an Andrastian but deep down she knows there’s more. If you read her journal her problems reconciling her religious upbringing is constantly on her mind.

If Andruil really did have her memories stolen by Mythal and her memories are now slowly coming back, triggered by the events of DAI, the big question is whether or not she can eventually face her greatest fear of the Nothing (the Void) to move forward and come to terms with her past self- a part of her she is clearly trying to lock away.

With the blight and red lyrium looming over Thedas, if Sera were to confront her nightmares and memories based on Andruil’s prior knowledge, she could be a very useful ally to have in uncovering Solas’ motives and objectives, how to navigate the Void, and potentially even help to stop the blight.

Personally, I have always felt Andruil was one of the gods who actually wanted to do good, but was manipulated by the people around her for power and so she eventually succumbed to the institution she was in.

Perhaps Sera’s spirit is Andruil but also something more - an echo that actually remembers its past and what it was like to be corrupted by power because that memory and experience left such a strong impression. 

Perhaps Mythal’s sapping of her strength and her reformation in Sera finally allowed her a chance to reflect on her past actions and make instinctive decisions to be a part of the Red Jennies and join the Inquisition to protect the little people instead.

This would explain why Sera hates nobles so much, and why she asks a romanced Inquisitor for reassurance they are still themselves at the end of it all. ‘I just need you to stay you’.

She’s seen power corrupt people first-hand and this is why she believes in the chaotic, undefined hierarchies of the Red Jennies, because she doesn’t believe in glorified rulers with nobles at the top anymore. Which funnily enough, is very much in line with Solas’ thinking.

Remaining questions on her I would love to see addressed in the future:

What was the shadow behind the door in Denerim with Sera? What was even going on in that room that the air pressure inside felt different when the door opened? It sounds magical. And remember, Sera hates and is terrified of magic.

If Sera was involved in smuggling out the ebony dagger from Irving’s room, what did she do with it? She was only around ten years old at the time - why was she even dabbling with this item to begin with?

What is she so afraid of in the Void when she’s never even really been there? (presumably, maybe she forgot or blocked it out of her memory)

Why does she experience deja-vu and why can she sense the veil when she’s not a mage?

Has she blocked out parts of her memories because her dabbling with the ebony black dagger in her childhood caused her to remember too much of her past self?

When she describes the sky as ‘feeling like falling’ is that how one enters the Void? By falling up into the sky of a titan?

And why is she so afraid of a romanced Inquisitor falling into the Void? Her vision/nightmare foretells the Inquisitor’s death and fall into the Void after the battle with Corypheus but what if it foretold a future event, something we may possibly see in DA4?

Personally I believe the events of DAI particularly the Fade and The Temple of Mythal triggered certain memories within Sera that reminded her of her past and the consequences of her actions.

I believe she knows what the Void is and how to wield it’s power, but she’s afraid of confronting the truth because the knowledge of what it can do to a person truly terrifies her. 

When you are corrupted, you forget your sense of self, you forget all sense of time and even past conversations, and you even forget your true face. 

[lothlenan]

Andraste was burned at a pyre. Hessarian, her enemy, ended her suffering with his sword. But before that the flames pretty much did their job -- she wasn’t really spared any suffering. Poor Andraste. :( HOWEVER. I have a tin foil hat theory that Andraste was actually possessed by something (something happened to her and her sister in their youth around the same time Dumat was slain), and my theory is that when Hessarian slew her at the pyre it actually transferred in to him. This is why, when his blade touched her heart, he heard the voice of the Maker and continued her work.

OOC fun fact: Andraste is also the name of an Icenic war goddess.

[ranawaytothedas]

okay I am just going to put this out there...

We (the dragon age fandom) need to take a cue from the GoT fans and do exactly the opposite of what GoT fans did while waiting for season 8 as we wait for more DA4 news.

Objectively season 8 wasn’t the worst there were major short coming but that really comes from basing something off an unfinished piece of fiction but if you look objectively at the season it’s not the worst in the history of TV like so many people want to make it out to be... why people feel it sucks so hard is that we (book and show fans alike) had 2 years to sit and dream about what WE wanted... we spent so much time thinking of theories, developing them, discussing them... just hyping these ideas that were in no way shape confirmed.... to the point I really feel looking back over a year later... was the down fall of season 8.

So as we wait for DA4 and have these news images... and I fully support making theories, picking these images apart for all the details... cuz I am doing it too...

I am asking everyone to remember this... what we come up with will very likely be better...even more logical that what could appear in the final product. This little fact has been proven time and time again with the amazing works of Fanfiction this fandom puts out..  however, this will not make DA4 any less of a “good game”... it’s just going to be different that what we would have liked to see... because at the end of the day if we don’t like the course the story takes...we have fanfiction and fix-it fics... so we can fix it...even just for ourselves!

Tin Foil away my friends, but don’t put all your hopes in our tin foil theories being true... learn from those of us who were holding out for Azor Ahai being ya know... actually a thing and that Dawn was going to be Lightbringer ect... the fun of hoping for Tin Foil to come true is not worth the disappointment in the final product in the end... 

[scholarsofthedas]

Void' Memories - Disorientated Time in Confinement.

Hello everyone! Researcher Minaeve here, I truthfully should not browse through research material early in the morning. Despite my better judgement, I did it to pass some time. And this very morning I stumbled over something potentially or is it theoretically dark? Concerning one of the most infamous apostates in the Dragon Age. I am referring to the notorious Anders, formerly of Kinloch Hold a mage who passed his Harrowing. We are familiar with his story, seven escape attempts. And during his seventh attempt;

The Ferelden Circle allowed its inhabitants a weekly period of supervised outdoor exercise until one mage used the time to stage an escape attempt. In the same Circle, the punishment for a crime like that earned the perpetrator three years of complete isolation. By now you may be asking. But Anders was only in isolation for a year? Right? Or was he really isolated from social interactions for a whole three years? I will admit from here on out I am going to venture out into theoretical territory and a dash of tin foil further down. Don’t worry I will add a reminder when we reach tin foil territory! Humans are very social creatures. We generally thrive being in larger groups, talking and interacting. Just a simple smile and a “Good Morning” or “Hello,” is enough to fill our social meter for the day. 

When we play the mage origin we get a chance to explore some of this dungeon space in Kinloch Hold. Some of the rooms are used as storage, and there are some doors as a mage we cannot enter. There is the chance of Anders cell being one of these locked doors.  

Now we don’t know the exact conditions for the duration of Anders isolation cell. I will give the Templar’s of Kinloch Hold some credit here, they are not the worst kind of templars we meet throughout the games. Estimated that Anders was fed three times a day. Switching out the empty food tray, for another one. I will assume they were kind enough to remember giving Anders water skins to drink from too. But the Templars in charge of guarding the door to Anders cell were likely not allowed to speak to him. Complete and utter isolation, torture almost sounds like mercy compared to that kind of seclusion.  As I mentioned earlier humans are social creatures. We are not equipped to endure an extended period of isolation and being completely alone. And our minds will try to come up with ways to lessen the impact of that kind of loneliness.

(Excerpt from an article explaining what isolation does to a person. I will give a link in sources below.) 

Now this part; may have problems processing information. Like losing track of how much time has passed since being sent to isolation? When I first read this I instantly thought, this reminds me of Anders, doesn’t it? Which instantly lead me to the thought; Was it only one year of isolation or was Anders well within his third and last year of isolation? Did his mind somehow mash together three years into just one very long year of loneliness?  Was this Anders coping mechanism to prevent himself from going mad? His assumed one year release happens just before Uldred’s coup during the Broken Circle quest. I cannot fault Anders to being more than, a little disoriented and confused. When he found his chance to escape from the cell.    The Templars outside Anders door knows the Circle is wrought in chaos because of Uldred. Now due to their templar training, they may have tried to put down a potential maleficar/abomination, fortunately, they did not succeed. Now perhaps we can thank Mr Wiggums for fusing with a Pride demon and taking out the three templars outside his cell. Which made it easier for Anders to escape during the chaos. (Thank you Uldred!) (I will get back to Mr Wiggums in a bit.) After Uldred is dealt with the templars dispatched half a dozen of their best mage hunters to bring Anders --now a presumed maleficar-- back dead or alive.

(Excerpt from an article I found. The link below in sources.)

Now consider this;

 Anders is within his rights to be not entirely in the right state of mind. His hatred toward the Circle of Magi most likely grew stronger in his year(s) of isolation.

 On a subconscious level, he is likely aware that more than a year has passed. But to avoid being fussed over. He has mentioned to his friends more than once that it was only one year of isolation. Enough times that his brain is starting to believe it truly was one year and not three years.

The excerpt above to me is uncanny in how it appears to match Anders altered more Justified-self. After Anders permitted Justice to share his body. 

(I’m sorry Justice but you did not make it better for Anders by borrowing his body from time to time.)

The times we see more of these traits become more pronounced.

- Is if you take Anders with you to the Fade to Help Feynriel.

- If you bring Anders with you in the Legacy DLC

-  His entire personality during Act 3 of DA2

It is not as noticeable in DA:O Awakening when we first meet Anders. But in DA2? We can easily pick up that some things have certainly changed in Anders since we last saw him. I will let Curator Justine, take over from here. She explains it better than I ever could.

You gave me too much credit dear Researcher Minaeve, but thank you. Anyhow, 

Mr Wiggums three possibilities of existence:

(Warning; Tinfoil time, you have been cautioned.)

 There was a mouser cat in Circle (& Anders is already fond of cats), but not during his confinement; thus this Mr Wiggums is simply an imaginary friend

Anders's story is true:  Mr Wiggums is a smart cat that manages to find a way to Anders's cell (presumable holes in the centuries-old Tower) and later possessed by a rage demon.

The nature of "Mr Wiggums" that Anders engaged with is actually of a benevolent spirit that forms itself into a shape of a cat (bc it's how Anders perceives it, which is possible due to theory 1); similar to Compassion, was attracted to Cole [in Asunder]

(+: Anders is a Spirit Healer, he already has a natural affinity with spirits,) overtime they have bonded. And when the Templars attempt to attack Anders in order to put down the mage. This is what prompts the spirit to turn into a rage demon in order to protect Anders + provide enough distractions and time for Anders to escape the Tower.  Thank you, Curator Justine. I believe this concludes our theories. Now, what about you dear reader? Did you take notes too? Do you have something to share with us? Were we completely off the rocker with this? Feel free to give us an ask or offer your insight in the notes and/or reblog (at your leisure, of course,) I’m grateful you were able to follow my morning research. - Researcher Minaeve ✧ - Curator Justine ✹ ------------------------------------------------------------- Sources:  World of Thedas Volume 1.                   World of Thedas Volume 2. What are the effects of total isolation an expert explains; https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-effects-of-total-isolation-an-expert-explains-109091 Perceived Social Isolation and Cognition; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2752489/ Dragon Age fandom wiki; https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Circle_of_Magi

[mydadisindianajones]

A post no one asked for on Dragon Age 4 and why Cole will be a companion

This is a thought that has rattled around in my head for a good while and I want to get it down on paper (or blog? I guess? Whatever) before any actual details of the game get out. Yes, I want to be that person who goes “Hah! I knew it!” In case this all isn’t correct... I was never here. *Waves hand* I promise this will be short.

Edit: lol jk its now a TEDtalk. Enjoy this meta.

Every installment of Dragon age, all three main titles and the Awakening DLC share something in common: A reoccuring companion from the last game.

Oghren: In Awakening we had Oghren join the Wardens after Origins. 

Anders: In Dragon Age 2 we had Anders become a companion of Hawke after he left the Wardens in Awakening. 

Varric: In Inquisition we had Varric join the Inquisitor after he left Kirkwall from Dragon Age 2.

So why Cole above everyone else? Looking at patterns again no returning companion was romanceable in their first installment. If we are going by that then it rules out Iron Bull, Blackwall, Sera, Dorian, Solas, and Cassandra. Story wise I do not think we will see Cassandra again other than maybe a fleeting quest like Zevran in DA2 or maybe just a fleeting message. 

Iron Bull and Blackwall are killable, so I doubt we will see them at all for continuity sake. “What about Leliana?” I hear you all thinking. Yes, Leliana’s death was explained away as she is some sort of Force Ghost, but that brought up quite the mini controversy at the time and I doubt EA will do it again.

Well how about Dorian? It is all but confirmed that DA4 will set place in Tevinter, or at least close to it. With Dorian in the position he is in the Magisterium I think at most he will play an advisory role must like Leliana did in DA:I.

Solas is going to be too busy enjoying my stolen Godtier wolf armor and being the head-shoved-up-ass antagonist.

Now lets touch on the two characters who were not romanceable: Varric and Vivienne.

Varric was already in two games, so I think they’re going to officially retire him.

Vivienne has a sliver of a chance, but I would bet my bank account that she will not be a companion, which leads me into my next set of points: They’re too important.

Vivienne: No matter the outcome of your playthrough Viv will be way too busy being important. There are two ways she can go: Either she will become the next Divine as Divine Victoria, or Grand Enchanter of the Circle of Magi. Vivienne will be too busy realizing her plans and ambition to personally deal with any outside nation. However that doesn’t mean she won’t be a key political figure in the game, as she is always trying to stay one step ahead of her peers. We will see her, just not as a companion.

Dorian: He has taken his father’s place in the Magisterium and is the leader of a Tevinter reformation group. I’m like 95% certain we will see him in some capacity, but not as a companion.

Varric: Yet again he has reached his max capacity for games, but he is also now the Viscount of Kirkwall. Like Viv we may just see him in name only, doing something through his agents.

Cassandra: The Seeker can go down many roads. Just like Viv she can become Divine Victoria. If you decide to restore the Seeker order she will spend time post Trespasser working with them. If you do not make her Divine she will stick by the Divine’s side as her Right Hand, temporarily with Viv and for a good amount of time with Leliana. 

Now for the not-so-important people:

Iron Bull: His is tricky because his end can be split in SO many ways. If you don’t kill the Chargers his mercenary group still run around Orlais and Ferelden kicking ass. If you do sacrifice them or don’t do his personal quest he turns on you in Trespasser, ultimately making him loyal to the Ben-Hassrath. In the end Iron Bull’s fate is split in so many different ways that it would be difficult, near impossible, to bring him back as a companion.

Blackwall: You have a chance to allow him to be executed, taking him completely out of the game. If you spare him during his judgement you can either hand him over to the Wardens and put him through the Joining, exile him, or keep him around work for his atonement. If he becomes an actual Warden he is sent away at the end of Trespasser Blackwall goes to Weisshaupt. If you forgive him he ends up traveling Thedas to find his lost men and seek their forgiveness. If you don’t find out about his past he turns himself in six months after the main quest line is done and his fate is unknown. So as you can see he suffers the same fate as Iron Bull, as in there are too many possibilities to successfully write him well as a companion in the new game.

Sera: Sera is the only companion I can envision coming in as second place to become a companion in DA4, for multiple reasons. I’ll get to those later though. In Sera’s ending she goes back to being a Red Jenny whether you romance her or not. If you don’t romance her she is seen in a relationship with Dagna.

You mentioned Sera possibly becoming a companion.

Well yes, I did. Let me explain: I think Sera is actually going to become a big player in the endgame, as unassuming as she is. There is a theory floating around that Sera is actually the Elven goddess Andruil. (Click the link for further reading. It’s REALLY good) I’m a full fledged tin foil hat fan of this one, along with the idea that Sandal is actually June, Elven god of the craft. So I think if anyone other than Cole is a companion it’s going to be her. 

However while I do think she is going to be in the game I don’t think she will be a companion. She has little to no interest in the dealings of Tevinter or any other big wars. Sera enjoys her little world with her friends, and would not be the type to take up another crusade, especially after what she endured in Inquisition. No more weird shit, just pranking rich people and being a Red Jenny.

Now why and how do I think Cole will be a companion?

At the end of Trespasser if you make Cole human he gets his first girlfriend and goes with her becoming a traveling minstrel. If you make him a spirit he ventures back to the Fade as he feels his work is done. Now if he is made a human I think he can fit well into being reintroduced as a companion. Either his relationship with Marydon ceases naturally or she dies at the hands of [antagonistic enemies] and he vows to seek retribution. Honestly Marydon isn’t very important, as she can end up with Krem or Zither if you make him a spirit. So her ending doesn’t matter and I don’t think she’d show up in DA4.

If he becomes more spirit I can see him coming back for the sole purpose of stopping Solas, since he can see what the trickster god is doing or going to do. An easy way to write him is to make exposure to the world again causes him to become more human. I know that would render the choices of a lot of players invalid, but c’mon this is Bioware we have seen this happen before.

Another question: Would he be romanceable? Ehhhhh it can go either way. Seeing as human Cole enters a relationship at the end of Trespasser the writers are showing us that he is at least interested in romance. As we already know Anders was the only recurring companion who had a romance, so like I said it could go either way. Would I personally like to see it? Sure, why not. I think it would be an interesting dynamic to see how he as a spirit would deal with love and possible carnal desires. As we’ve seen before spirits can engage in such activities:

Blackwall: Sera and I were just talking about you. We need you to settle a question for us.

Solas: *Sigh* Sera’s involved? So this question will be offensive.

Blackwall: Yes. Probably. Sorry. You made friends with Spirits in the fade. So... um, are there any that are more than just friends? If you know what I mean.

Solas: Oh for... really?

Blackwall: Look, it’s a natural thing to be curious about! 

Solas: For a twelve year old!

Blackwall: It’s a simple yes or no question!

Solas: Nothing about the Fade or Spirits is simple. Especially not that.

Blackwall: Aha! So you do have experience in these matters!

Solas: I did not say that.

Blackwall: Don’t panic, it’ll be our little secret.

Solas: Ass.

Blackwall: Now who’s twelve?

According to Solas, if we read between the lines, is that Fade Spirits can engage in such things. I’m sure it’s not as simple as people on Thedas think it, but things can transpire to a degree.

All in all I think Cole, out of any other companion from Inquisition, has the highest chance of showing up as a companion in Dragon Age 4. (I’m bad at endings bye)