How To Explain Dragon Age To Your Friends Who Don’t Care

Yesterday, BioWare introduced Dragon Age: The Veilguard will lastly come to PC and consoles on October 31. We broke down the 3-minute announcement trailer, however I needed to restrain myself from getting too into the weeds. Yeah, theory-crafting is enjoyable, however of us on the lookout for a chook’s-eye view of what’s taking place in that trailer aren’t fascinated by me breaking down the deep dwarven lore of the Dragon Age universe that may clarify why returning character Scout Harding can use magic regardless of dwarves not usually with the ability to do this on this universe.

What Is Dragonsplague? Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Devastating Contagion Explained

BioWare’s darkish fantasy sequence is a dense tapestry of historical past and making an attempt to get somebody caught up in time for The Veilguard is a large endeavor. So whereas I can’t clarify all the pieces that’s ever unfolded within the fantastical world of Thedas in a well timed method, I can a minimum of attempt to get you caught up on what’s taking place in The Veilguard earlier than it launches on Halloween.

The Veilguard is the following chapter in a 10-year-old lover’s quarrel

Picture: BioWare

So that you’ve in all probability seen this man, proper? This bald elf is Solas, a Dragon Age: Inquisition occasion member. He’s a mage who’s an skilled on The Fade, a magical and non secular airplane of existence that’s distinctly separate from the remainder of the world. In the course of the occasions of Inquisition, rifts have been showing all through the bodily realm that allowed spirits and demons to flee The Fade and terrorize the lots. Having an skilled on the spirit world throughout this time appeared like a wise concept, and this man Solas simply occurred to be round when the sky opened up and demons began pouring out.

However Solas is extra than simply an skilled on the supernatural, he’s additionally secretly the elven trickster god often known as the Dread Wolf. That is revealed in a Marvel-esque stinger within the post-credits scene. It seems that Solas’ misuse of an elven artifact is the explanation the whole world went to shit in Inquisition, however now that he’s helped remedy that challenge, he’s getting again to his unique plan: tear down The Veil that separates the bodily world from the non secular one. Doing so will reconnect the elves with the magic of the Fade, together with bringing again their immortality. However, it is going to additionally end result within the demise of everybody else.

Screenshot: BioWare / Kotaku

Naturally, gamers have been pissed about this treachery for over a decade. Some Dragon Age followers have been in a romantic relationship with Solas, just for him to go away them within the eleventh hour to go off and do a world-ending cataclysm. You is perhaps like me, who views Solas as a good friend, who’s hoping to by some means redeem Solas when Veilguard drops later this yr. Or, you may completely detest the dude for his snobby, know-it-all angle, and this reveal simply solidifies that you just caught on to the dangerous vibes earlier than everybody else. However nobody is extra able to wail on this man’s bald head than a lady scorned by his god complicated. The Dragon Age fandom has been on this journey for 10 years, nevertheless it’s the Solasmancers who’re on the wheel, able to ground it the second they see him within the headlights.

Whereas some followers are able to face Solas on behalf of their Inquisition protagonist, The Veilguard stars a brand new hero named Rook who’s dragged into this battle and has no earlier relationship with our elven would-be terrorist. Solas created the barrier between each worlds to lure the opposite elven gods within the Fade as retribution for his or her killing of Mythal, a beloved elven god with whom Solas was shut. Now, because of Rook’s meddling, they’re free to stroll among the many remainder of the world, which seems to be the core battle of The Veilguard. Whereas followers have considered Solas as an antagonist for a decade, it appears he is kind of the catalyst for the battle, quite than the antagonist.

Some rapid-fire Dragon Age phrases

That’s the baseline clarification you may give to your good friend who’s desirous about leaping into The Veilguard with no prior information. However Dragon Age has in depth lore and so many heady ideas that would wish explaining to a beginner. So right here’s some rapid-fire shorthand for all of the phrase salad your pals might should find out about.

• Thedas – The Dragon Age setting…get it? The Dragon Age setting?
• The Circle of Magi – It’s mainly Hogwarts however the mages which can be there are compelled to be there by the church as a result of they have been Born This Way.
• Blood magic – It’s like when a Dungeons & Dragons warlock makes a take care of a satan to get extraordinary powers however with the asterisk of blood sacrifice. It doesn’t should be your blood, although.
• Phylactery – A vial of blood that drops a pin to seek out mages who run away.
• Harrowing – Publicity remedy to demons so mages can show they’re not inclined to corruption.
• Tranquil – It’s a Mage lobotomy.
• Apostate – A mage who determined to go away the Circle throughout their hole yr and by no means went again.
• The Chantry – The church with all the identical corruption, propaganda, and overreach you’ve come to count on with a non secular establishment.
• The Maker – God
• Andraste – “God’s wife” – Borat voice
• The Divine – Dragon Age pope
• Templars – Church cops who huff explosive supplies to oppress individuals
• Seekers – Church cops however in secret
• Lyrium – The blue liquid life drive that powers most issues within the Dragon Age universe. It’s like water, however magic and addictive.
• Crimson Lyrium – The identical however corrupted so it’s dangerous, truly.
• Darkspawn – Undoubtedly not the orcs from Lord of the Rings.
• Archdemon – An outdated god that takes the type of a dragon that you’ll inevitably combat on the finish of a sport, in all probability.
• The Blight – A second in historical past when Darkspawn discover the spirit of an outdated god underground after which have homicide events on the floor.
• Gray Wardens – The faction who drinks Darkspawn blood to allow them to combat them till they finally die from consuming the blood of their enemies.
• The Taint – You may determine that one out for your self. Attempt Google.
• Deep Roads – Underground tunnels everybody will get misplaced in aside from Darkspawn, who all the time handle to seek out their method out.
• Dalish elves – Nomadic elves who nonetheless observe the outdated elven teachings. Or, nicely, the model of it that has survived over time. They’re in for a impolite awakening in The Veilguard.
• Metropolis elves – Elves who’ve built-in into human-led society.
• Alienage – The usually impoverished areas in large cities the place elves are allowed to dwell by human rule.
• Eluvian – Mirror portals
• Flemeth – A robust mage who began out as a witch-like hag in Origins then turned the most well liked MILF you’ve ever seen in each sport that adopted.
• Golden Metropolis/Black Metropolis – A metropolis within the Fade that was as soon as believed to be the house of The Maker. It was corrupted when highly effective Tevinter mages invaded it, turning the as soon as golden metropolis right into a black distortion, corrupting the mages into the primary Darkspawn.
• Dorian Pavus – The perfect character within the sequence.
• The Fade – The worst part in any Dragon Age sport.
• Antivan Crows – A gaggle of assassins whose first impression within the sequence was failing miserably.
• Tevinter – A mage-ruled nation that also makes use of Blood Magic, slavery, and different types of magic-driven oppression. Although it appears to be present process a second of nice change in The Veilguard.
• Kirkwall – The town the place the Mage Revolt started, resulting in the dismantling of or reforming of the Circle and Templar order.
• Fereldan – The podunk south of Thedas
• Orlais – Do you want Bridgerton?
• The Qun/Qunari – The identify used interchangeably for each a horned race and a code they observe/unfold to different races throughout the Dragon Age world.
• Sandal – Enchantment!
• Bianca – Varric’s crossbow named after his long-lost lover who followers are nonetheless mourning.
• The Hero of Ferelden – The character you play in Dragon Age: Origins who had too many branching conclusions to ever present up once more.
• The Champion of Kirkwall/Hawke – The character you play in Dragon Age II who has a bunch of bisexual pals scattered throughout Thedas.
• The Herald of Andraste/Inquisitor – The character you play in Dragon Age: Inquisition who’s lacking an arm as a result of they wanted a cause to make them not the protagonist of The Veilguard.

That’s a complete lot of phrases, however if you happen to’re not seeking to play the primary three Dragon Age video games, it ought to be sufficient that will help you get by way of The Veilguard. In case you are contemplating marathoning all three video games earlier than October 31, you possibly can hit an important stuff by enjoying solely among the DLCs. Right here’s a breakdown of that for individuals who wish to see essentially the most plot-critical stuff in a time crunch.