#dreadwolf speculation

[dragonageconfessions]

CONFESSION:

I think Solas dies in the next game no matter what, it just ends up being how does he die? Cursing a world that left him behind and rejected his plans, or at peace that he was wrong and the world doesn’t need to be set back? That seems like the logical conclusion of picking whether we need to defeat him or save him from himself, and I think it meshes well with his fear in the Fade during here lies the Abyss. Does he die hated and alone like he fears, or peacefully with the people who saved him? How we get there I haven’t the slightest but I bet you that’s the end point.

[larena]

Heres the most untapped companion dynamic that I am BEGGING BioWare to use in Dreadwolf: Viddathari companion, and Tal-Vashoth companion.

The arguments would be legendary. Here you have someone who has actively chosen to convert to the Qun despite being born outside of it, and I think for the tastiest conflict would have to believe in it with their full chest. And then someone who was born into it and left.

"Why would you ever LEAVE the Qun! I spent my whole life searching for purpose and didn't find it until I met a Tamassran, no one gave me ANY respect until I found the Qun."

"Why would you CHOOSE to submit yourself to that dogmatic bullshit? Dont you have any self respect, you were FREE"

Its just... theres so much good shit you can do there with two people who are both converts, but in the exact opposite direction.

[anneapocalypse]

Replaying Dragon Age II: Legacy right now, and a few things are jumping out at me.

First, the note you find about how the Deep Roads were shaped by the early Wardens as well as by the dwarves, and second, that you find more Profane (what appear to be rock wraiths) inside the Warden prison.

I've thought for some time now that the primeval thaig is probably a corrupted titan and that whole "feasting upon the gods" bit in the deeply haunting "Profane" codex entry was about dwarves trapped within a dying titan consuming red lyrium in an attempt to survive, and that this maybe gave rise to the red Profane we see there.

And I mean the Profane could have just wandered into the Warden prison and become trapped there like the darkspawn, but since they're a fairly unique enemy we don't see very often even in the Deep Roads, it's fun to speculate, right. 😉

The Grey Wardens guard their secrets closely, even from their own ranks. I wonder if some very high-ranking Wardens have known about the titans all long--their corruption, the Profane, maybe even red lyrium. Who knows!

If indeed we get to go to Weisshaupt in DA:D, maybe we'll get to uncover some long-hidden Warden secrets.

[knife-eared-jan]

The Missing Thought #2 - Musings on Neve Gallus:

First off, I am basically taking this comic as confirmation that she is a companion in Dreadwolf, and one of the “major” ones at that. You know what I mean, the ones you HAVE to recruit no matter what because they are vital to the story. Like e.g. Cassandra, Varric & Solas. It makes sense if we are going to spend a large part of the plot in Minrathous. Hell, maybe she’s even the one we meet first and she then introduces us to Varric & Harding. 

Secondly, I think we can now conclusively say that the lady in the middle of this concept art is Neve, albeit before a major redesign. (They DID already know that they wanted her to definitely have shoulder pads though lol)

Other people before me have pointed out the leg on our right/her left of the concept art figure is clearly a prostethic (- it seems to have switches legs since). But not everyone was convinced I guess. I for one did think it was Neve, but also had in mind that some of these characters allegedly already got scrapped. And I also thought that it looked kind of too fancy for Neve. 

Which brings me to point three: Neve’s design. On the one hand I think it is such a cool look! I love all the teal accents. BUT. But... I find it really hard to connect it to the Neve I pictured when reading Tevinter Nights? In her short-story she made it really clear that she wasn’t part of the upper class and not everyone was a magister or altus. She clearly represented “the common people” and was basically the Thedas equivalent of a hard-boiled detective from one of those noir movies, just missing a recent divorce and a drinking problem. The Neve in this comic (and I imagine her look is taken straight from the character design for Dreadwolf) looks like someone moving in elevated circles. Lots of gold jewelry. The fancy hat looks like something from the Derby. High heels, cravatte, done nails. Again, I love the look, it’s iconic, but it feels like her character went through quite a lot of change since Tevinter Nights and I kind of mourn the commoner perspective on Minrathous already. 

She still seems to be all about helping the misfortunate of Minrathous, but it feels very different coming from someone who is of elevated status reaching down, as opposed to someone who is just a normal dude.

[storm-arts-around]

I’ve been sitting in my Dragon Age thoughts alone for too long and I’m going feral so.

It’s a running gag in DA games that you get a Mage companion who ‘betrays’ you (and imo that element helped make Absolution fit in nicely too, it understood the assignment).  But what about Dreadwolf?

Going into any marketing or character reveals for this game, there will be a certain facet of the fandom on the hunt to spot our potential duplicitous fade fiend.  And I’m sure the devs are well aware of that.  So there are reasons not to do it at all, much as it is verging on tradition, its also verging on predictable.

However, I want a betrayal, I crave the drama.  So my proposal is that while none of the mages in our party mechanically will be our resident betrayer, one of our warriors/rogues will secretly be a mage who simply isn't using their magic.  Ergo, realising theyre a mage will be part of the betrayal.  More drama.  Please Bioware more drama.

[misculenica]

Dreadwolf Speculations - Protagonist + Companions (Part 2 - loong post)

This is part 2 of my Protagonist + Companions speculation for Dragon Age Dreadwolf. You probably will have to read Part 1 to understand the things I discuss in this part.

Some of the pictures I use here will be snips from the BTS trailer from 2020, so apologies for the cropping/inferior quality of some of them.

Much of this (or all of it, really) is speculation, based around teasers, trailers, concept art and leaks. None of it is confirmed, I just wanted to share my personal take on what our companions will beTake that as you will, going forward.

And so;

Part 2: The Companions

So, as of right now we have 3 confirmed named characters:

Rook (most probably the protagonist)

Bellara (female... something)

Davrin (male... probably a grey warden)

Bellara and Davrin may or may not be companions, but I feel it's important to note they're the only named characters whose voices we've heard (from the BTS teaser back in 2020).

There will be 8 companions, at least for the base game (without dlc companions, which I believe Bioware will not do again)

Origins had 8 (+1 secret companion to replace another who leaves late game) - 2 mages, 2 rogues, 3 warriors + a dog)

DA2 had 7 (with a switch of the siblings, based on pc class) - 2 mages (3 if brother died), 2 rogues, 2 warriors (3 if sister died) (+ technically a dog?)

Inquisition had 9 - 3 mages, 3 rogues, 3 warriors.

Let's go from left to right from the image above!

Female mage (probably elven)

I don't think a warrior or a rogue would wear a dress for obvious reasons (restrictive movement, impractical battle equipment). And flowing robe-like attire strikes me as a mage thing. I'm also getting an elven vibe from her, but not dalish - her outfit feels elven (legs for days, flowy, the front part that dips between the legs) and it looks to me like she's barefoot (elves like their toesies out)

Here is some examples of elven armour so you see what I mean;

Make sense?

I also like to believe that she is the woman on the far left of this concept art;

Literally just because she has similar hair and both characters look overtly feminine (and attractive, I must admit)

As for personality/background; I believe she will be rather confident, perhaps flirtatious, she'll probably give you a shock, and will hide some dark secret (I'm calling it, she's going to betray us). As for her background... It depends where we pick her up, really. But I'm positive she's not a dalish elf... If she is an elf at all, but I'm 70-80% sure that she is. Her ears are covered/hidden, so.

2. Female Qunari Rogue

Very obviously a female qunari (long hair on a female qunari!!). I say rogue, because, we've had 2 warriors, and all of the concept art with this same female qunari is of her wielding daggers.

She's going to be stubborn, no nonsense, and will probably question your every move. She'll also probably be romanceable, given how much she appears in the concept art/teasers (compared to others). I would like her to be a tal-vashoth- though I think it would be interesting to see the perspective of a woman who lived under the qun, and possibly left because being a woman within the qun is very different from being a man (and we've only seen men, so far). So perhaps she's a runaway from the qun? Perhaps she disagreed with the order of things? She looks closed off/no nonsense. Perhaps her character arc will be her learning to relax/express herself/trust, like we get to see a softer and more feminine side if we get her approval up?

3. Male.... Human.

I want to say rogue, but when I asked my partner, he said he doesn't look like a rogue or a warrior. So... Possibly mage? The satchels and light-ish armour make me think rogue.... Unless Dreadwolf introduces multiclassing? (I'd fucking love that, not going to lie). This could be Davrin? I doubt it, but... Maybe? I'll settle on a hard maybe - mainly because the other characters in this lineup just don't hit me with that voice. This is a man of triumph, perhaps also of loss. He has something to prove, for himself and for others - he will be... Clever but also valorous, I don't think he's the type to skulk or hide, he'll want to be up at the front and will want you to see (but not in a pompous way?).

Not much else to say on him, unfortunately.

4. Human-male Mortalitasi-mage

The armour, especially the bracers, look like bones - and I'm 100% sure there's going to be a mortalitasi mage as a companion, they've been hyping them up ever since Inquisition and Tevinter Nights was a thing - and no other character looks like a death mage.

I have nothing else on him, honestly. I'm not getting any vibes. I think he'll be interesting to talk to and will provide a great deal of information, and I suspect he'll be very interesting in stopping/killing Fen'Harel - perhaps he'll have a personal grudge?

5. Female rogue... dwarf.

The character looks female, and that looks like a gun - though I feel inclined to say it's a crossbow, just at an odd angle (perhaps one similar to Bianca?). I also say dwarf, because I KNOW there's a dwarf companion, and no other character fits in the lineup. She just gives me dwarf vibes.

This is either Scout Lace Harding, or Bianca - perhaps a completely new character (perhaps Bellara? "The good kind of rumble!" gives me dwarf vibes).

She'll be cocky, and quirky, and fun. Looks entirely like the person to does the whole *pumps shotgun* "it's Morbin' time".

Also;

If it's a female rogue dwarf, I'm 99% sure it's Scout Lace Harding, I mean- look at those freckles, that ginger hair. Maybe not. But they all look like rogues, and 2 images have crossbows... Is the original lineup picture.... Bianca-the crossbow? It looks a lot like Bianca. If so.... Is Varric going to die in Dreadwolf, and this character is going to get Bianca??

OKAY NO. QUICK THEORY TIME. BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BOTHER ME IF I DON'T GET IT OUT THERE NOW THAT I'VE CONSIDERED IT.

So we know there's a dwarf character in the next game, who looks a bit like Harding, who wield a crossbow.

It's difficult to get the pictures of Bianca-the crossbow when it's not in active mode, so trust me, it looks a lot like the silhouette's weapon. So- in this wild scenario.... Harding somehow gets Varric's famed crossbow, the crossbow he loves and doesn't let anyone touch? He dies. Varric's going to die, and he's going to either give Bianca to Harding to prevent an enemy from taking it, or Bianca is going to take it off his dead/dying body.

And you ask; what kind of scenario permits this happening? They barely talked in Inquisition.

Well.

Varric and Harding are travelling together in the deep roads, looking for Solas (and hot on his tail), in this comic.

And what does Harding look like in this most recent rendition of her?

Now, go back up and look at the concept art images.

The scariest thing is; I could be SO FUCKING RIGHT. Varric may very well die soon (either in these comics, or in Dreadwolf - I'm guessing Dreadwolf). And Harding is going to get Bianca.

She's going to have a serious, and personal vendetta against Solas.

Okay, dwarf companion complete. Next, before I explode.

6. Antivan Crow? Fellow Rook? Rogue (probably female)

I mentioned before (in Part 1) how I believed since the protagonist is Rook, that in chess, there are 2 Rooks; and in this image;

There are 2 similar looking corvid-themed characters (left ready to grab the guy, right holding the palanquin). I guessed that the right is the protagonist Rook, and the left, is either an Antivan Crow, or a 2nd Rook (agents of the Inquisition).

Tin foil hats, galore. But it would be cool though, to go through the game with a constant companion from the beginning, like Alistair in Origins, or Carver/Bethany in DA2.

I think this is also the Crow/2nd Rook, similar design + weapon. Or, this is the main character.

I believe they're a female character, but that's purely a hunch based on the palanquin piece. Plus, they look like a crow. It'd be weird to have another male crow (I very much doubt it's Zevran).

They seem sarcastic, capable, and probably very likeable (the kind of person it's hard not to like). Probably romanceable to males and females.

7. Male.... Mage??

At this point, I'm just taking wild guesses. He looks human. But I was super hoping for a tranquil, or ancient elf companion. 1 million points if it's Felassan or Abelas. But... I really don't know what to make of this character, but I'm getting mage vibes. Hoping for a tranquil companion. So that's all I'll say for this guy.

8. I Don't Even Know - Abomination?

Looks like a sailor? Possibly pirate? From the concept art, it looks like a lot of the scenery is tropical/seaside/ocean - to that makes a bit of sense.

They look dead, their face looks like a skull, almost. So... A spirit possessing the dead?

Or... I just considered another thing, kind of.

Where have we seen a blue face glow before?

Now, I'm not saying it's Solas, or Mythal. I'm merely... suggesting that it could be... Something to do with this scene where Solas kills Flemeth, on some level. I find it interesting how I remembered this when looking at this pirate-looking character, especially when the colours and imagery are so similar.

We'd have to consider why Solas' face lights and waves around, but part of me always assumed this was like... his spirit-self? (If we're to go with the idea that Solas was originally a spirit who took physical form, like Cole).

So... It's a spirit. Is my best guess XD One that hasn't quite gotten the physical form thing right, perhaps it doesn't look human (or elven, dwarven, etc), and looks how... Hold the fuck up.

It's a spirit, at best guess, who takes OUR side... And doesn't look like a physical being. It's body is completely covered, except it's face, that you can't quite see right because of the glow. And how do spirits look in the physical world?

It's... Not a corporeal spirit, or one that took physical form. It's a spirit existing as a spirit in the physical world. Or.... The veil has come down, and spirits walk freely in Thedas.

It doesn't look like it's really wearing clothes, it looks like it's just covering itself- a mismatch of items its found or conjured by it's own guess at what people should wear, because it thinks it should be wearing things. I don't think it has a physical body, is what I'm saying, or it's not quite a body (or similar to a demon, it doesn't look right).

But if it's a spirit, what is it a spirit of?

We could guess by colour. I couldn't say; but I'd love for it to be Hope, or something else we've never seen before!

And... That concludes it I think, if I've forgotten something I'll just deal with it.

also;

[an-established-butt-dent]

I'm a bald Solas lover I swear!!!!

—> Process video under the cut because of flash warning.

[tea42]

Dragon Age Thoughts: Dragon’s Blood and Dragon’s Souls

***Absolution Spoiler***

The way in which the circulum could be powered by dragon’s blood and it is stated without a dragon it would require the deaths of hundreds of people to use it.

I am thinking this will parallel with the choice in DAO to perform the Dark Ritual- If Solas does not have the High dragon Soul then he will need to get that power from something else and it will probably be terrible.

[nateeseart]

I had to draw this meeting.

(initially I planned more frames, but I came down with a cold and decided to leave and finish what was already in the works)

[anneapocalypse]

Thinking about the fact that we've had a spirit companion in every Dragon Age game, they've just gotten progressively more talkative.

Faith was silent, but present! Justice had opinions. Cole said a lot of things people would rather he Didn't if they're being honest.

So it would fit the pattern if in Dreadwolf our spirit companion was Curiosity, a friendly spirit with a special interest he's eager to tell us all about.

[knife-eared-jan]

OK, I’ve finally had time to read The Missing #4 and I have THOUGHTS!

Thought #1 - Varric is Duncan 2.0: Varric made it through the comics unscathed and without a decision to quit active fighting, but being clearly shown to be getting slow and weary of it all etc etc, like that was basically his entire role in these comics, to give off a “too old for this shit” vibe. I therefore have a sneaking suspicion that Varric is going to essentially be Duncan in DA:Dreadwolf. He will recruit the hero and be shown as a beloved mentor, especially for Harding, tasked with a mission too important to fail. And then, at the end of the Prologue, he will die. That’s when Harding will take up Bianca in his name, as we can clearly see in promo images (@mrs-gauche makes an extremely compelling case for this being Harding):

And she will get a whole arc about grieving for Varric, like Alistair had. The protagonist will get to have something to show the stakes in this and a hook to continue what Varric started but couldn’t finish + to get justice for Varric. It’s a classic story telling device for an inciting incidence, and Bioware already used it successfully when they wrote the battle of Ostagar!

We know the devs have tried to kill of Varric twice before and I feel like they will finally want to nail the bastard (affectionate). And Harding kinda needs a bit more character background and driving motivations tbh. Like, she is absolutely lovely, but she is mostly a blank slate in Inquisition, fresh from her parents’ home and just looking for adventure and meaning. That was really refreshing in DAI when all your companions were Important People(TM) and it felt really nice to just talk to a normal person for once, that wasn’t jaded by it all. To be full companion, however, it makes sense to give her some trauma to work through in her personal story, to allow her to have character growth.

And of course, as others have pointed out before, they would never kill of a character as beloved as Varric in a tie-in comic. That was to be expected. But if the comic had ended with him deciding it’s time to leave it to the next generation or something like that “Right I’m getting too old for this, I’m out” kind of thing, I would have thought they’ll make him an advisor. Since he doesn’t hint at anything like that at all, I’m back on team “Varric will die”. I think all these points to show him getting slow and weary serve as lead up to his death at the end of the first phase of the game.

Edit: oh and I can totally see him narrate the whole game again, like Duncan did in DAO, and like Varric does in the trailer already. People will think he’s safe, like in DA2, and then BOOM.

[misculenica]

DA: Dreadwolf Thoughts & Trespasser Choice - and speculation of quests/choices

I've had a lot of spacing out time on my hands since I've been sick the past week (feeling better, dw)

I've been thinking a lot about that final choice with Solas in the Trespasser dlc; attempt to redeem solas, or, attempt to stop solas.

And that's a real headscratcher, isn't it? Because... That's the last interaction you have with the lord of eggs. Like... Why would this even be a choice to make, beyond dialogue/emotional fluffing for some kind of 'conclusion' that isn't even a conclusion to the narrative? It's a beginning, if anything. But Inky isn't going to be involved at all anymore, given the next protagonist in DW will be new.

So why the choice, and why is it framed like a serious game-changer choice? (not a dialogue wheel, a this or this kind of choice, like conscripting or allying with the mages/templars)

So I did some more thinking, and got somewhere ;)

Your (Inky's) choice to try and redeem solas or to try to stop/kill him will impact the narrative of Dreadwolf, and how missions will play out.

Inky (and what remains of the most trusted members of the inquisition - as stated in the comics; varric, charter and harding -correct me if I'm wrong); will be working towards an alternative to bringing down the veil or will be taking a more 'anything you can do i can do better' kind of role with solas, if redeem was chosen.

If stop was chosen, it will be much more 'kill any of his agents/bring them in', basically a lot more aggressively trying to stop him because he's getting close to doing it.

I can explain, but I will need to go back to Trespasser.

For clarification, what tipped me off to this idea was the specific dialogue from the dlc:

Now that's some interesting wording, huh?

"Try to convince Solas to change his plan"

And here's the varying dialogue for approval/romance etc

High Approval:

Romance:

"Solas, our love (is the) way (to) endure/unto death" (literal translation; "solas, our love (is the) way unto death/(to) endurance" (bless my solasmancer heart, the literal translation is kind of a nod to solas' greatest fear and how lavellan is trying to comfort him by saying essentially how he won't die alone because she's with him to the end/loves him beyond the constraints of life, and then this poor miserable bastard responds the only way he knows how)

(fuck you patrick thank you *cries* this is the most goodbye i've ever felt)

Low Approval:

You don't choose anything... Solas just kinda... Snatches your arm and tells you to piss off in the most Solas way possible.

Romance/High Approval

Now, allow me to rant about this dialogue.

The implication of the redeem lines are more telling than the 'stop him' ones, partially because it's very "you're being an idiot so your ass is grass"

But let me address the high approval lines:

"You don't need to destroy this world. I'll prove it to you."

I feel like this implies a lot for what comes next. But what could you mean by that? We're going to try and convince him there's an alternative. And my mind's racing for what that could mean for the plot of Dreadwolf, and what alternative could the Inquisition be seeking.

Here's what I'm thinking;

Dreadwolf's overarching narrative will be the same; prevent Solas from doing his thing.

However!

Based on this final choice with Solas, the language of the quests could change/what you're told about the Inquisitor will change.

For example; you're going out on the same quests, but the quests could be worded differently, or priorities change. Like... Sabotage/kill an agent of Fen'Harel but lose information vs steal information from an agent but let them go, or, beat agents to x objective vs neutralize agents seeking objective x

I think the game will allow us to go rogue on these decisions, however. I think Inky will be at the top of the order, giving orders down, but we as the player can choose to do what we want (naturally), depending on how we or our character feel about things. But the Inky's orders will be different based on that redeem or stop at the Trespasser choice. However, the missions/quests -for the most part- will be the same, only wording/language/priorities will change.

But I do feel like if you choose 'redeem' and go down a path of 'we need to be compassionate/understanding/prove Solas wrong - the game will very much punish us for it - it'll definitely get a lot of innocents killed.

If you choose to 'stop' him, you'll probably be given more aggressive/no nonsense objectives, and it'll probably bring the heat down on you more, but I feel like the game will encourage you to do this - innocents will die, too, but you'll get to blame Solas more.

Overall, bioware games tend to hammer home that 1. regardless of your choices, bad things will happen, 2. 'the ends justify the means' always leads to a persons downfall/blowing up in their face - leads to something far worse, 3. the road to evil is pathed with good intentions.

But I think the game will play into you as the player, and Rook, choosing to act with their own agency, even though they'll be working by the Inquisition's will - and this will impact Solas, and the rest of the plot and it's themes. Like imagine Solas bringing up the fact that a rebellious Rook acts with their own moral compass instead of doing what the 'hero' wants.

Which way will the droplet fall?

Unpredictability seems to be a thing for Solas and his plans, and it'd be interesting to see it brought up in Dreadwolf - especially as a theme and narrative device.

You can make plans, try your best, but ultimately, you have no idea what a person can/will do, nor how events will turn out (especially when you're attempted an act of god) - yes I'm comparing Dragon Age to Jurassic Park, and we better get a dragon roaring epically with a banner falling in front of it after it randomly saves us from darkspawn {I'm kidding, but damn that'd be cool) "Don't worry... That's the good kind of rumble!" - Bellara

Solas: You cannot stop me.

Rook: No... But they can ;) -->

I'm still going to stick with my theory that we're going to have to obtain the alliance with some powerful being to combat Solas, and I'll be damned if I don't get to pet a dragon in the next game.

[cadaveerie]

Why Lucanis is (probably) an abomination

DATV and general DA spoilers ahead!

As I pointed out earlier today, Lucanis has an ability called "Abominate", which I suggest could be a not very subtle indication that he is an abomination. This has been a theory for some time and I know people have pointed this out before, but I wanted to put together everything I can think of in relation to this and to give my own take as to why I believe that Lucanis is an abomination. Here are some of the indications that this could be the case:

1. He has "uncanny abilities" (and how he might have gotten them)

The fact that he both has spectral wings and that he can feel when someone does magic near him already sound very suspicious... but it becomes even more interesting when you look at this comment about the crows that Zevran does in DAO:

"I wonder... the Crows often made sacrifices of blood, and it game them uncanny abilities".

(thank you irabelas for this post! this is how i found out about this and it's a very good connection)

So one of the theories is that he could have gotten his "uncanny abilities" in that way. We know he was abused by his grandmother, like most crows get abused since they're children, and there's a chance that in order to become a better assassin he was forced to go through one of these rituals, that I suppose involve blood magic, as Zevran calls them "sacrifices of blood".

Another of the theories is that since he "died" in The Wake, he could have been in a situation like Wynne... but against that some people say that he probably just pretended he died, as in The Wigmaker Job he mentions that he'll grow a beard to hide from the people who want to kill him, so some people (and me too) think that perhaps he pretended to die to escape them.

And lastly, another somewhat common theory is that he got these powers at some point after The Wigmaker Job and the beginning of DATV, and that perhaps Zara Renata was the person who somehow made blood magic on him, as a form of revenge. It'd make sense since she's presented as a villain in The Wigmaker Job, and the chapter suggests that she'll go after him. One issue that I have with this, and that admittedly might not be super justified is that I think he could have had the wings before The Wigmaker Job started, as he had that weird itch behind his eyes at that point, and that's basically the reason why he is "the mage killer" in the first place. Basically, I associate the origin of his uncanny abilities, both the "itch" and the wings to the same event... But I'm not super confident about this, because he could have just developed the wings later. I suppose this remains to be seen.

2. He has pride-demon themed clothing and colors.

Lucanis seems to have eye patterns that resemble pride demon's eyes all over his clothing. And both pride demon's eyes and their nervous system-looking thing are purple, like his clothing and his wings.

Also, the fact that his writer, Mary Kirby, replied a black heart emoji to a post that pointed this out (and the original post also included an screenshot that mentions that Magisters refer to him as "the demon").

Which... Yeah, I think it's a weird choice to answer to something like this if it's not true? Either way I suppose it's a bit spoilery if this is the case but... I'm more inclined to believe she's teasing rather than that she would answer to something random if it were not the case.

Aside from this, people also point out the design of his tarot card.

The purple eye motif continues: in his own eyes (which could represent the fact that he gets that "itch" behind his eyes), the inside of his cape, the background (both in the bottom and behind him in those strange orbs), the little vials he has on his belt/harness, and the gems all over his outfit as well. Even some of the little pins in his belt kind of resemble purple eyes. Black is his main color, while purple is his accent color, not only in this art but it's consistent in everything we've seen of him.

His hood kind of looks like he has yet another Pride Demon-looking eye, and what I think could also be interpreted as little eyes to the sides.

The purple orbs around him could also be interpreted as eyes. Or as felassan pointed out on this post, the way they're drawn kind of make the background look like peacock's feathers. felassan also compares that part to Solas' eyes in the Dreadwolf form, which makes a lot of sense.

(first picture is from felassan's post, featuring the peacock feathers. I'm not sure where it's from, though)

I never thought of the peacock thing before, but I think most of us associate peacocks to pride, so it'd make a lot of sense. And the multiple eyes thing as well, it's something that's not only seen in Pride demons but in the Dreadwolf himself... and Solas is closely related to Wisdom spirits and Pride demons (which as he reveals in DAI, are two sides of the same coin: demons are "corrupted" spirits. And to be specific, wisdom spirits become pride demons when corrupted). This connection he has to these beings, aside from the fact that you can observe it in his writing, gets referenced by Cole directly. He calls Solas as both in multiple occasions (not "spirit" or "demon", but by the names Wisdom and Pride) in his vague monologues. And on top of that, at the beginning of DATV it seems like Solas has accidentally summoned a Pride demon, as Varric literally says:

"It is a pride demon! Damn thing probably sensed Solas' ego!"

And perhaps it's reaching, but this whole thing would make even more sense if the theory that elves were originally spirits is true... or at least if they had very strong connections to them, and that much seems to be real. Either way, I suppose that just because he's a mage he could still be close to both spirits and demons, as he talks about often, and at the same time he'd be vulnerable to being possessed by them. Also, even if it's not super notable in DAI, he has purple eyes in DATV, which could also be a connection to Pride. I think Trick implied that they were purple in DAI as well? But it's not as notable... I just wonder if this change only happened for artistic reasons, or if this change will be acknowledge in-game, because it happened in-universe as well. His eye color could be a coincidence I suppose... but it's interesting.

But anyway, this post is not about Solas! It was just a way to point out that Solas is very likely connected to Pride demons and Wisdom spirits, and perhaps Lucanis is as well, since the motifs seem to be so related.

3. He has a "demonic aura"

He is described in the character selector screen as a "Swift and precise assassin with a demonic aura". The demonic aura, paired up with everything else... adds to the suspicion, to say the least, lol. It's a very strange thing to say otherwise? It's one thing to call him a demon as a nickname, which could potentially be a way of insulting him, or reflecting how ruthless he is... But to say he has a "demonic aura" sounds oddly specific if he's not... literally possessed by a demon.

And finally, what made me be like "oh god this is so real", and made me decide to write this:

4. He has an ability called "Abominate"

"I saw my comrades fall, burned by the flaming sky or crushed by debris. The monstrous creature, looking as if a demon were wearing a man like a twisted suit of skin, spotted me and grinned. We had forced it to this, I realized; the mage had made this pact, given himself over to the demon to survive our assault."

- from Codex entry: Abomination.

"Rook is getting attacked on all sides, so you command Lucanis to use Abominate to knock enemies down".

And idk how to explain it, because there isn't a lot to talk about. The explanation is that "Abominate" sounds like it could come from "Abomination", and at the same time that could come from the fact that he is one.

Wynne and Anders were abominations, so it wouldn't be a new concept at all for a companion to be one. So if this is the case... this could just be so sad and tragic.

---

And as a bonus, maybe I'm looking too much into it, but this person played some of the game (since they were part of the Community Council), and they said this:

"would it be in bad taste to drop a Lucanis x Rook fic the day Veilguard releases" "There’s another angst pairing that’s fair game, too. Hmm"

And I think it implies that Rookaris will be an angst pairing, by talking about "another angst pairing". Obviously, this could have nothing to do with the Abomination / weird powers thing, I'm not trying to put words on their mouth. There could be many other aspects that make the ship angsty, or perhaps I'm interpreting this wrong and the ship is not angsty at all... So I'm not taking this seriously, I'm just reaching with this. BUT... imagine. The angst potential... I choose to believe lol.

Before ending this I want to give my take as to why a Pride demon, out of every other kind. I talked slightly about this before, but my preferred theory for how he acquired his powers is that his family made him get them forcefully, which I know doesn't make that much sense, given the fact that there's no mention of wings in the The Wigmaker Job. Perhaps he just didn't show them, perhaps he got them after The Wigmaker Job... but then where did he get his ability to sense magic like that? Could it be that he was born with it? I can't think of any case like this for other characters... it's almost as if he was a mage? But he doesn't seem to have other magic abilities besides that one... (I thought that perhaps all non-mage companions would get some form of magical abilities because everything got fucked up... But I haven't thought about it much so I won't write it here. And I suppose it wouldn't make a lot of sense since that seems like a Harding thing). Perhaps he had this natural sensitivities to the Veil and magic before, and so when everything went down that's when he became extra magical. Perhaps the gods escaping--and whatever happens afterwards--fucked everything up, and he got the wings at that moment, like Harding? Hers is probably Titan magic, but both could be as a result of the gods escaping and/or the Veil getting fucked up. Or something else we don't know yet.

Those are all possibilities, but coming back to my personal preferred theory: perhaps he got his powers through a blood-magic ritual performed by the Crows (whether only the magic-sensing ones or the wings too, I don't know). And to my main point: if that were the case, perhaps the pride is not exactly his, but from his grandmother, Caterina Dellamorte. It seems like his story will revolve around expectations from family vs. one's own desires and individuality, so my theory is that perhaps that's the origin of this "Pride". Lucanis is the heir to the Antivan Crows, so could it be the Pride that Caterina has for her preferred grandson and heir? The Pride of the Dellamortes? The Pride of Antiva? A lot of pressure, a lot of people to disappoint, and someone very important in his life to disappoint (and well, we should probably add Illario to the equation... But for an hypothetic Pride demon, I think Caterina is probably the proudest of all the Crows).

And if not that, even if this ritual didn't happen at all and the demon just happened to find him for some reason, perhaps the anxieties he feels about his family and making them proud was what attracted that spirit to him. Perhaps a demon managed to trick him, and the being possessed him. All options could be interesting, in my opinion.

But who knows. Perhaps it's nothing like this, perhaps he's not even an abomination at all! I just think there are a lot of indications of it, and it'd make a lot of sense. And I think my theories make some sense at least! :]

And that's all! Long-ass post. I don't know if I missed anything else, but this is why I believe that he is an abomination, and in particular he was possessed by a Pride demon. To be honest I wouldn't mind being wrong because... this would be so, so sad, and I don't know if I'm ready lol. But I'm excited at the possibility! No matter what I can't wait to meet and romance the hell out of him.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your opinions :D

Edit 1, Edit 2 (SPOILERS)

[yolatirra]

I was watching some older Ghil Dirthalen theory videos and saw this mural in one of them.

Those eye-like things in the middle have always drawn my attention but we haven't been able to come up with explanations for them. There's fourteen of them, and we haven't had anything that there's fourteen of before.

Well now there's fourteen statues involved in Solas's ritual, two of each Evanuris that he locked away. They're even arranged in the same sort of arcing shape, with a sphere below them.

(Side note, there are three statues here that are of "Beetle" aka the Evanuris that's on the right at the end of the gameplay trailer, but Ghil Dirthalen stated in (if I remember correctly) this Split the Veil episode that it's a mistake, meaning there's supposed to be two of each Evanuris.)

This makes me think that this ritual is very much a reverse of the one he used to create the veil in the first place, and he needed fourteen statues for that one too. I always kind of suspected that mural was a depiction of Solas creating the veil, and I think this pretty much confirms that.

[knife-eared-jan]

I am soooo smelling a trailer drop or other major announcement shortly after the last issue and they weren’t quite ready for it, so pushed the comic back by two weeks!

the listing for Dragon Age: The Missing issue 4 on Dark Horse has changed publication date from April 26th til May 10th [source*] *DA: The Missing spoilers at link in the form of issue 4 cover page & plot blurb)

[inbetweenshadows]

I have a theory A GA-

No ok so. Dragon Age Veilguard spoilers under the cut. Theory/speculation on the Chantry, chant of light, and Mythal/Andraste.

The chant of light, the foundation of the Chantry. We know it’s bullshit but what if it both is, and is not. It’s not hard to deduce through watching Solas’ regrets that there is no ‘Maker’. But there is. But who? Solas. Oops. Leave it to a trickster to accidentally become a focal point for a new religion. So why do I think this? Well the chant of light, minus a few verses that deal with the ‘present’ versus Andraste’s visions, directly explain the history of the ancient elves. Don’t believe me? Take the Canticle of Andraste:

The canticle of Andraste is:

> There I saw the Black City, towers all stain'd,

> Gates once bright golden forever shut.

> Heav'n filled with silence, then did I know all

> And cross'd my heart with unbearable shame.

NOW CONSIDER: Andraste is a dreamer, having a vision of solas making the fade, and the magsters breaching it. She watches in dreams as the blight escapes.

COUNTER: Mythal still in spirit watches the veil get made, watches as the magisters breach the fade and release the blight. That piece of her dove into andraste

But wait there’s more, we also have the canticle of Erudition, which explains elves, SPECIFICALLY THE EVANURIS, coming across the veil:

> The first of the Maker's children watched across the Veil

> And grew jealous of the life

> They could not feel, could not touch.

> In blackest envy were the demons born.

-Erudition 2:1

They were envious, but of who? We go next to The Canticle of Exhaltations, which describes the titans and dwarves;

> Seven times seventy men of stone immense

> Rose up from the earth like sleepers waking at the dawn,

> Crossing the land with strides immeasurable,

> And in the hollows of their footprints

> Paradise was stamped, indelible.

-Exaltations 1:5

i dont feel like I _need_ to get into the Canticle of Threnodies because that’s just about the breach of the golden city, which we know now is the prison of the Evanuris.

shit does start to get really interesting though when we hit the Canticle of Trials. Especially when we take into consideration the quest in Inquisiton 'What Pride Has Wrought' and how it's the quest in which we enter the TEMPLE OF MYTHAL. It could also be an exerpt of Felissian. (i spelled that wrong) and how he never stopped wandering the crossroads after the formation of the veil

> I shall not be left to wander the drifting roads of the Fade

> For there is no darkness, nor death either, in the Maker's Light

> And nothing that He has wrought shall be lost.

-Trials 1:14

"nothing that he has wrought shall be lost" The veil is permanant. nothing will be as it was.

im skipping the canticle of Victoria bcs it's regarding Divine Victoria [Successor to Divine Justinia V] and is only added if Cassandra becomes divine.

THE CANTACLE OF SILENCE, HOWEVER

> The Old Gods will call to you,

> From their Ancient Prisons they will sing.

> Dragons with wicked eyes and wicked hearts,

> On blacken'd wings does deceit take flight,

> The First of My children, lost to night.

-Canticle of Silence 3:6

again, DAI made reference to this in a quest. "Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts”

but it's DIRECTLY EXPLAINING HOW THE EVANURIS STILL WHISPER TO THEIR DRAGONS

'The first of my children' the evanuris. 'on blackened wings does deeceit take flight' the archdemons

Skipping the Cantacle of Shartan tho bcs again it's regarding immediate people and not history.

AND HERE WE HAVE THE CANTICLE THAT BASICALLY CANONIZES MYTHAL ENTERING ANDRASTE

Canticle of Maferath; Telling of Mafarath's betrayl

> Spite ate away all that was good, kind, and loving till nothing was left but the spite itself, coiled 'round my heart like a great worm.

> And in my darkest hour, I turned from Her and vowed that I would destroy Her.

> At the moment of Her death I knew what I had done, and I wept.

> I shall bring the lands of my fathers to Her Word. Therein lies their salvation and mine.

> And She came to me in a vision and laid Her hand on my heart.

> Her touch was like fire that did not burn. And by Her touch, I was made pure again.

> Despair not, said She, for your betrayal was Maker-blessed and returned me to His side.

> I am forgiven.

how is this NOT SOLAS AND MYTHAL.

Anyway. That’s it. Andraste might have been among the first carriers of Mythal. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.