#may the dread wolf take you!

[secretmage]

The Din'anshiral | DeviantArt

"I walk the din’anshiral. There is only death on this journey."

Faux stained glass 'triptych' art of Solas' journey, inspired heavily by the frescoes, art, Veilguard gameplay trailer and of course Nick Thornborrow's amazing The Chant stained glass, as a sort of companion piece to my previous stained art Dragon Age: Trespasser a long time ago (WHERE I SAID I WOULDN'T DO A TRIPTYCH BUT LOOK WHERE WE ARE NOW??) this took me more than a week of sleepless nights so imma lie down now bye (Find the WIP Gif here!) edit: prints for anyone who wants them!

[heraldofthenug]

MAY THE DREAD WOLF TAKE YOU, MY GOODNESS.

[ryrycouch]

Prideful, hotheaded and foolish... Thank you so much for all the love on the last post! the tags on the reblogs are my favourite thing to read. I was kicking my feet, giggling at some of them. 🖤

Also, I'm really enjoying tumblr! I love scrolling through your pages. it feels very welcoming and I LOVE how passionate people are. Reading through the h/c's or theories is honestly so beautiful. Also the ficssss.

Ty for the cooking... I am fed.

[onewomancitadel]

Varric has now convinced a new audience that Solas' first and most important name is Solas, and his second most important name is Chuckles.

[achlysfx]

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

Seriously - there are MAJOR POTENTIAL STORY SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT

Images taken from the new Veilguard artbook (deluxe edition cover). I took an image of the front cover so everyone knows this is LEGIT. Enjoy! 😎

[Tumblr limits posts to 10 images, there's more minor stuff, but I'm gonna leave it at this for now.]

[theladygames]

Solas, otherwise known as The Dread Wolf Fen’Harel, ancient Elven god of lies, trickery, betrayal and rebellion (depending on the story).

[dragonagecinema]

Waited 7 years to see the Dread Wolf with hair 😍

[liaragaming]

Lyrium Idol + Dread Wolf + Solas Theory

Solas and The Dread Wolf are two separate entities. The Dread Wolf is a pride spirit / demon. The Red Lyrium Idol is a conduit to The Dread Wolf (which is why Solas wants it back).

I was working up a post discussing The Hunt of the Fell Wolf codex where (apparently) Inquisitor Ameridan hunts a spirit-demon-wolf. It caught my attention because - you know what "fell" means?

adjective - fierce; ferocious; dreadful; savage; destructive; deadly

Basically, Bioware put a Dread Wolf codex in front of our faces and just used a thesaurus so we wouldn't notice. You find this codex in the Frostback Basin (one of the dlc's to Inquisition).

The codex has no given author. For context, I'm assuming this story didn't actually happen, that it's just a tale in which Ameridan features, like Varric inserting Hawke into a story because it needs a hero. Ultimately, I don't think whether or not Ameridan actually fought The Dread Wolf is as important a question as what the codex says about The Dread Wolf. So, that's what I'll be discussing.

BUT... then a friend came over, we started discussing the codex, they had ideas, and I grabbed my copy of Tevinter Nights. And the two actually back each other up really well. So...

Theory Breakdown - Part I - The Nature of The Dread Wolf

*spoilers for Tevinter Nights (only for "May the Dread Wolf Take You")*

The Mortalitasi's Tale

In this tale, the Red Lyrium Idol is used to pull various mages into the Fade (the exact reason why isn't important for this discussion). Almost instantly as the mages are pulled into the Fade, the Dread Wolf appears:

It was a beast unlike any I had ever seen. Lupine in appearance, but the size of a high dragon, with shaggy spiked hide and six burning eyes like a pride demon, and it came to us on wings of fire that resolved themselves into a horde of lesser demons as the Dread Wolf landed before us.

This matches up with the description of the spirit-demon-wolf in the "Fell Wolf" codex.

Favored like a wolf it was, In size like a Woodsman's Death. Within its eyes burned eldritch fire, The Fade in every breath.

The wolf is also described as striking out "with one huge paw, the monstrous thing" and having "jaws like a dragon's."

This horde of lesser demons is also present in the "Fell Wolf" codex.

Whilst elsewhere did Haron valiantly With demon-wards contend.

So, here we have two different sources collaborating the same thing.

CONCLUSIONS: 1. The Dread Wolf is massive in size (like that of a dragon) 2. It is accompanied by a horde of lesser demons.

The Mortalitasi's Tale (cont.)

The Dread Wolf yells at the mages:

"YOU MEDDLE PAST YOUR UNDERSTANDING, FOOLISH MORTAL MAGES, AND IN DOING SO, YOU THREATEN ALL CREATION. YOU USE MY IDOL CARELESSLY TO VANDALIZE THE SEA OF DREAMS. NOW FEEL THE PAIN OF WHAT YOU HAVE CREATED. FROM THIS MOMENT, SHOULD YOU EVER BIND A SPIRIT, THEN YOUR LIFE IS MINE."

The fandom has largely accepted that this is Solas talking. But, at no point do we seen the Wolf as anything but a wolf. The Mortalitasi also comments on the hypocrisy of the Dread Wolf forbidding the binding of spirits when the lessor demons would have needed to have been bound in order to follow Solas' bidding. And this just doesn't make sense because we know Solas is against binding spirits.

BUT, does it not make sense that lessor demons might willingly choose to follow and fight alongside a greater, more powerful one? I thought there was something in Inquisition about the other spirits/demons following the bidding of the Nightmare, but I can't find the specific dialogue.

In any case, going with this theory because it means there is nothing contradictory about what we know to be true about Solas's morals regarding spirit binding.

As to what kind of demon, we need to go back up to the Mortalitasi's description of The Dread Wolf, which specifically states it has "six burning eyes like a pride demon." The fandom has been pointing out that the eyes on Dread Wolf imagery look a lot like a pride demons and that Solas's name means "Pride" for years. I don't think I need to elaborate further - except to point out that the "massive" size of the Wolf makes sense for a Pride demon, as they are also huge!

CONCLUSIONS: (cont.)

3. The Dread Wolf is it's own spirit/demon entity separate from Solas (most of the time - we'll get to that). 4. The Dread Wolf is a Pride demon.

(Part 2 below)

Theory Breakdown - Part 2 - The Nature of The Lyrium Idol

In the "Fell Wolf" codex, Ameridan follows the Wolf to it's lair, described as a "labyrinth" (which is not a word often used in DA and interestingly is what Solas calls the network of eluvians in Trespasser). In the lair, Ameridan finds what I can only conclude is the lyrium idol - which (somehow) can slay it:

An idol of fade-touched stone, Which could prove the monster's doom.

There is nothing else on the traits of the idol. But suddenly afterwards, Ameridan has a "burning blade" (like Meredith's) which is later referred to as a "demon-stone" as Ameridan slays the Wolf.

This seems to imply the Red Lyrium Idol and the Dread Wolf are connected, somehow. (1) The idol is found "in it's lair" which implies it has special significance. (2) when Ameridan strikes at the Wolf, the idol shatters - which might actually be what defeats the Wolf, not Ameridan's blow. (3) In the Mortalitasi's Tale, the moment the the Idol was used, the group was taken into the Wolf's presence. The ritual wasn't even complete!

We don't see Solas interact with the Dread Wolf in Tevinter Nights, but we do get a story of Solas interacting with the Idol when he finally retrieves it (told by Solas, himself).

The Bard's Tale

He whispered something as he picked it up, tracing his gloved fingers gently along the crowned figure who comforted the other, but I could not make out the words for they were elven.

A lot of people have interpreted this as Solas "lovingly stroking" the Idol... which is not exactly what the text says. But I agree with the sentiment that there is something tender or perhaps more accurately affectionate here.

The Bard's Tale

The Idol's Journey is now complete, and it has found its master.

What we can be certain about the idol is that it is a weapon and a tool and something more - and it means a lot to Solas.

CONCLUSIONS: (cont.)

5. The Red Lyrium Idol is a conduit to the Dread Wolf.

Theory Breakdown - Part 3 - Tying it all Together

We know each of the evanuris is associated with an animal, and there has been theorizing that each of them had a spirit-animal companion. I can only conclude that the Dread Wolf is such a spirit that Solas encountered and befriended and is connected to in some level that goes beyond what we currently understand, somehow bound without binding.

The "Fell Wolf" codex describes the Dread Wolf as both a pride demon and a wolf spirit:

Beast and spirit—both felled at once, Though neither hunter knew.

"Neither hunter" is referring to Haron and Ameridan. They were hired to slay a beast but encountered something otherworldly instead. This part is pointing out that the true nature of the "Dread Wolf" is complicated. While it is a Pride demon, it's also more than that. It is both "beast" and spirit, whatever the nature of a spirit-beast may be.

And I do think it being a Pride demon is important to not forget because it put the events of DA2 into greater context. If the Idol is a direct conduit to an extremely powerful pride-beast - it makes sense that the thing has great appeal to Bartrand and Meredith (the two must prideful people in close proximity) so much as to consume them.

Which just makes the context of Solas being connected to this thing somehow even more interesting. For instance, this line in the Pride Demon codex for DAO stood out to me:

Be wary of how prideful you become, lest you find too much in common with such a fiend.

In context, the line is warning mages and templars about being too confident in their abilities and falling when facing a pride demon. Taking it alone at face value, it seems to be saying, "don't befriend a pride demon." Solas connected with this creature, found "too much in common" with it, and befriended it.

I'm not really sure why the Red Lyrium Idol was created, if it was blighted to begin with, or when it was made. Theoretically, Solas should be able to just find the Wolf whenever he wants, but maybe there's something more convenient in having a fast-travel method. And maybe the Idol is involved in a ritual that bound the two together. Maybe that's how the evanuris ascend to godhood.

There's also the question of how the Veil has messed with things. Maybe the Idol is more important than ever if the Veil is somehow interfering with this connection between the two.

But I do think Solas wants and needs the Idol because the two can merge into one being. We've seen that possessed mages (abomination and non-abominations alike) have increased power. I'm almost certain Solas would have needed an insane amount of magical power to put up the Veil, and merging with the Wolf would have helped. He likely needs it again for what's to come.

Part 4 - Extra Stuff

This doesn't fit into the theory but I need to point it out:

The words "Woodsman's Death" in the Fell Wolf codex used to describe the Wolf is really interesting. Call me crazy but, I think this might be a reference to The Woodsman and The Beast in Over The Wall. (DA has used pop culture references before, so it's not that big of a stretch).

Also, there is another reference to an eclipse in the Fell Wolf codex - the Wolf directly appearing after the sun descends and the moon rises.

an eclipse as fen'harel stirred

[the-inquisitor-inn]

So are we all crying in the Lighthouse or is it just me?

Just finished Veilguard. May the Dreadwolf take you.

[scribeofmorpheus]

The Knight Enchanter & Her Guardian II

"For the Knight Enchanter was once a keeper of Dirthamen's secrets, yet at her feet stood Fen'Harel, the greatest secret withheld from her people. Humble in garb, with an expression of devotion that yearned to shed his skin for her, a face still cried when he would not allow himself to, and that broken sword called duty remained ever-watchful, eyes ceaselessly upon him, his grip firm. Duty, not unlike love, is a curse not easily shied from. Though the wolf claimed to have been loyal, a sower of dissent cannot be trusted to yield unpoisoned fruit, much like a tongue of lies cannot help but flick controversy, there is no way of telling if his skyward gaze was meant for her, the secret writings upon her face or that which she carried close at heart. All that is known is that, for a time, she held the world in her palm, and the wolf was all too eager to let it remain her world for as long as time would allow."

~Excerpt from Harellan

[>> Version I]

[hephestusdreher]

[sunniedayz46]

Vhenan. Based on Solas’s Murals. (Be kind I’m not an artist lol)

[plucky-elves]

what if i am team dreadwolf though

[achlysfx]

SPOILERS FROM THE ARTBOOK UNDER THE CUT!

(Last round before Veilguard drops. ) 💜💙

[garrien-thorne]

POTENTIAL FLASH WARNING FOR THE TIMELAPSE!

Inquisitor Junriel Lavellan

I have lavellan (+dragon age in general) brainrot today but hey it's making me draw! Dragon Age: Inquisition, and this guy specifically, was the first time I ever really felt attached or invested myself in a player character. (Also by the time I reminded myself it was the left hand I was already too far gone please forgive me 💀)

[onewomancitadel]

I've repeatedly encountered this argument like 'if Solas putting the Veil up was a mistake, why is he so proud as to think he can tear it down?' well like, generally when I make a mistake I want to fix it. That's a very natural instinct. If everybody's mortality was my fault and I knew what immortality was like and everybody was dying on my watch I'd probably feel a bit bad about it too, especially coming face to face with my ageing friend.

Also he's a trickster god, expect shenanigans