This is why Dragon Age: The Veilguard is kinder to the Dalish than the first games

Dragon Age: The Veilguard has a lot of the great lore reveals – which makes sense when the two virtues are eleven gods who have been locked away for thousands of years. Franchise has always been about confronting who everyone is think it is true and realize that the truth is more complicated. In the case of Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain breaking free and trying to conquer the world, this means a great deal for the Dalish elves, who historically worshiped both as part of the elven pantheon .

“I would say one of the biggest challenges in this game, but also one of the most fun things has been, How do the Dalish react when their gods are on earth and attack?” creative director John Epler told Polygon.

It seems that across the board every Dalish elf in the game is pretty much rejecting their risen gods now that they have shown their true hand. Two of Rook’s friends, the elven historian Bellara Lutare and the Gray Warden Davrin, are of Dalish descent themselves and although they are a little apprehensive about facing their gods, they are not opposed to doing so. In fact, among the lackeys and puppets of Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain, not a single elf could be found.

Epler said it’s a validation for Dalish – which is good for them considering the way they’ve been shown in previous games.

“Dragon Age hasn’t always been the kindest to the Dalish,” he said. “Someone once made a joke to me, and it’s not true, that it would be possible to eliminate the Dalish clan in all three games somehow.”

To The beginningJoining the werewolves in search of the Brecilian forest leads to the destruction of the clan. To Dragon Age 2if you protect your friend Merrill’s use of blood magic, his clan attacks you and must be killed. And inside Dragon Age: Inquisitionif you play as an elven Inquisitor, you can accidentally kill your clan by choosing the wrong options in the War Table task. It’s not easy being a Dalish elf in Thedas.

However, why haven’t the Dalish elves decided to join their gods? As Epler said, the gods don’t care about it. They are looking for followers elsewhere. Although the end of Dragon Age: Inquisition‘s Trespasser The DLC revealed that Solas had gathered a network of elven agents, they couldn’t be fooled.

Epler said: “The agents of Solas never took power. They were there for the purpose of finding out who they are and the purpose. And I’d say it’s fair that Fen’Harel is probably he gave them the truth when he did his recruiting job – the part where he says ‘I’m going to destroy the world’ at the end of. Trespasser [was] not what he was telling them.”

Solas officers are surprisingly absent The Veilguardnot to mention how far they have spread in the years before the game. But see do they have a very good reason not to be the ones who contact the gods.

Epler explained: “Those corrupt, weak gods don’t bother themselves with a simple sound. “Their explanation isWe will make a terrible world. We’ll give you a lot of energy, and maybe you’ll be fine.”

According to the meta, Dalish only needed a win in the game. It’s refreshing that Bellara and Davrin are respecting their culture again not excluded from it and perhaps forced to kill their own family, as was the case with Merrill in Dragon Age 2. And instead of being killed accidentally (or on purpose!) by the player character, Dalish elves in The Veilguard come to gather justice against the mages they once called gods and reclaim a part of their history.

“I like that Dalish in this game, in general, they say, No, we were lied to. We were the first victims of these gods. We will fight back,” Epler said. “And they have the mentality to get up in this game and start to take care of themselves in a way that in the future I can’t wait to get back to it, but in this game it gives them the feeling of winning. They get the win by the way they respond with it in the threat of the gods in this game.”