Early Dragon Age: The Veilguard Concept Art Reveals a Darker Solas
Early concept sketches by former BioWare artist Nick Thornborrow offer a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Solas's character in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. These sketches, showcased on Thornborrow's website, reveal a more overtly vengeful and god-like Solas than the advisor role he ultimately plays in the final game.
Thornborrow, who departed BioWare in April 2022 after 15 years, contributed significantly to The Veilguard's development by creating a visual novel prototype. This tool helped convey story ideas to the development team, and the over 100 sketches released are likely derived from this prototype.
While many scenes depicted in the sketches closely resemble their in-game counterparts, Solas's portrayal differs significantly. The concept art shows him less as a subtle manipulator and more as a powerful, shadowy figure, almost a vengeful deity. His actions, whether unfolding within Rook's dreams or in the real world, are presented with a far greater sense of overt malice and power than in the final game. The contrast is particularly striking in scenes depicting his attempt to shatter the Veil – while the core event remains consistent, the artistic interpretation of Solas himself is dramatically different.
The differences highlight the significant evolution The Veilguard's narrative underwent during development. This is unsurprising, given the nearly 10-year gap between installments and the last-minute title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Thornborrow's shared sketches provide valuable insight into these creative shifts, offering fans a richer understanding of the game's development and Solas's complex character arc.
