Latest Posts by arlathmavhenanara - Page 2

drew that short italian guy from dragon age you guys like

The wool has been removed from over my eyes; I see a new narrative symmetry...

Sometimes you really need another's opinion to help you appreciate something more. I'm kinda not so angry about Varric's role in Veilguard now.

Joined a doodle board

My roman empire

A God Man Of Many Names

as a therapist when will I get a solavellan client fr

pre-booking an appointment w/ my therapist for when solas inevitably calls my lavellan 'vhenan' again. pre-booking a horse tranquilizer w/ my vet as backup

"It can be argued that an immortal would have to be distant, or eventually all it would know is loss. What would our world look like to such a creature? What actions would they be capable of when everything except themselves is fleeting and therefore of little relevance to eternity? If we as elvhen discover a path back to what we were, we must be sure that the path is wide enough for all. For the individual who stumbles into that journey, who endures when all else is dust, can only be alone." - Keeper Ilan'ta

The irony of this in a game where we're trying to stop Solas from scorching the earth. Let's use the game whose goal is against wiping the slate clean and defaulting back to square 1 to wipe the slate clean and default to square 1.

DATV Spoilers - The Story We Lost

Posted earlier that I was compiling a list of lore/story threads that have been dropped with DATV's handling of Southern Thedas. The sheer number of things means that I've made this into two parts - this one focusing on all the story threads that have been effectively dropped.

Spoilers for the game ahead, of course.

If you've played the game then you'll know that Southern Thedas - everything from the past three games - was basically swept away by the blight.

A double blight should have catastrophic consequences for the entirety of Thedas, I don’t deny that, it’s nothing short of a mass extinction event – the absolute worst case scenario for all of Thedas.

However, waving away the fact that Southern Thedas - specifically every area you ever traveled to and interacted with in previous games – is gone, devastated by the blight, in a codex entry and line of dialogue makes it abundantly clear that BioWare is attempting to clean the slate so that they can move forwards with the game series with no ties to the previous ones.

The Warden, Hawke, and the Inquisitor effectively accomplished nothing.

As I put it in another post: I never expected them to consider every decision in game outside of the three options they gave us, but I certainly didn’t expect them to go scorched earth on the possibility of ever seeing the results of those decisions either.

How the lore has been handled in this game, summarized to “the elves did it” and “there’s been a shadowy organization in the shadows pulling the strings on everything” is absolutely devastating to the franchise.

The lack of care with which this was treated just bleeds, “There, we’ve answered all questions and finished with this era of Thedas. Moving on now.” At the same time, this destruction absolutely obliterated whatever story threads remained from the first three games.

Could BioWare bring these threads back? Yes, I suppose. But it doesn't change that it was so carelessly thrown aside in the first place.

If they didn't want people to care about their decisions and the impact they made on the world, perhaps they shouldn't have made that a feature of all the previous games.

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Story Threads/ Plot Points that were dropped:

Limited my points to what was in the Dragon Age Keep and what points were brought up frequently in codex entries, conversations, etc...

Edit: I never expected all of these points to be answered in DATV - this is just a list of what was effectively brushed to the side through very bad handling of lore and story.

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Dragon Age: Origins

What is the line of succession in Ferelden?

Things are looking very grim for Ferelden's succession and the Theirin/MacTir line if nothing is done. And nothing was done. The entire plot of DAO literally culminated in resolving this issue, yet no one seems to have learnt a thing from it?

- Anora ruling alone is unmarried with no heir - Alistair ruling alone is unmarried with no heir - Ruling together they have no heir - Alistair and a Cousland Queen have no heir - Anora and a Cousland King-Consort have no heir

The only potential candidate that can fit into several of those world states is Kieran.

Fergus Cousland, according to lore, is the second closest to the throne that is confirmed to be alive in DAI - potentially the brother in-law to the King/Queen of Ferelden.

Ferelden's succession with Alistair as King hinges on whether or not the Warden was able to cure the blight. Alternatively, it is hinted that he may be more resistant since he has dragon blood in him from Calenhad.

The potential implications of Kieran being the bastard son of the King of Ferelden.

Kieran being used as a political pawn to depose Anora using the Theirin bloodline.

DAI took away whatever destiny Kieran had with the Old God soul – that didn’t mean that BioWare had to take away everything else too. Regardless, it doesn't matter. Outside of Redcliffe, the rest of the land has fallen to the Blight - it's unlikely that any of this will ever be brought up again.

2. Did the Warden find a cure?

Unknown. Irrelevant.

Ferelden ended up blighted. Denerim fell. If Ferelden rises from the ashes, it will be without any sign of their influence. Any mention of them will likely be their title alone - no mention of their accomplishments.

3. General Questions about the Landsmeet

What happened to Anora if Alistair is named King? Who rules the teyrnir of Gwaren following the blight?

What happens to Alistair if he's exiled? We know Teagan finds him in DA2 but what happens after?

If Leliana becomes divine does that mean that Connor Guerrin is potentially an heir to Redcliffe?

4. Companion Plot Threads

Morrigan's sisters - the many daughters of Flemeth.

Shale's quest to reverse the process of becoming a golem.

Whatever the hell Nathaniel Howe was going on about when you run into him in DA2 in the blighted thaig.

What, if anything, Avernus leaned from spending a literal age or two studying blighted blood.

5. Zevran's Crusade against the Crows

RIP Zevran's one-man crusade against the Crows and their child slavery ring.

DATV messed up immensely by portraying the Crows as more of a ‘found family’ rather than the horrifically abusive organization it was set up to be.

The very same organization that preys on the weak and disenfranchised - honing them to be tools for the nobles/powerful of Thedas - are now the heroic freedom fighters of Antiva.

The literal decade he spent hunting down the Crows and their leaders is up in flames. No mention in DATV whatsoever.

Wasted a perfectly good opportunity to have a schism in the Crows, with Zevran at the helm of kicking out the antaam, taking in Crows who are are sick of what's happening.

6. The Dwarves of Orzammar

The impact of Bhelen/Harrowmont's reign - ruthless progression verses strict traditionalism

The rumours of an uprising of the casteless dwarves in DAI

Will we ever hear of noble House Brosca or Queen/Lady Rica? Nope.

Will we ever hear of the son that Aeducan can have with Mardy? Nope. (RIP Duncan Jnr - I still love you)

The Anvil of the Void and potential links it may have to the Titans.

No more fine goods direct from Orzammar

The entire caste system has been simplified by Harding in DATV to effectively be: 'surface dwarves' and 'deep roads' dwarves.

7. The Magisters Sidereal / Awakened Darkspawn

According to a codex in the Descent: one went mad, consumed another, and the final magister fled into the Deep Roads.

Corypheous + Codex Magister + the Architect (most likely) = 4/5 magisters remaining? Possibly?

Reminder that it's hinted that there's an eighth Old God that was struck from the records of Tevinter.

The Architect and his Awakened Darkspawn.

No, it was all the elves. They're all dead now anyway. Thanks BioWare.

8. The Guardian and the Urn of Sacred Ashes

"Where did you come from, where did you go? Nobody in Thedas will ever knowwwww."

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Dragon Age 2

Dragon Age 2 was pretty self-contained, with most things being tied up in Trespasser or DAI. The worst of the plot points abandoned relate to the companions in the game and the lack of closure/answers about them.

General Questions:

Kirkwalls, apparently, endless line of 'provisional' viscounts and constant political instability since Varric ran off to go after Solas.

According to DA: Absolution the Red Templars are still in Kirkwall...yet the show is set after Trespasser - when Varric is viscount? When he mentions that they threw a parade when getting Meredith out of the Gallows?

Aveline, Varric, Merrill and whoever remains of the Kirkwall crew apparently just allowing red templars take over the Gallows?

What happened to Petrice if she lived?

What happened to Feynriel if he went to Tevinter?

If Hawke lives following DAI - where are they?

I have a whole list of lore that's also been brushed over: the Sundermount, Corypheous, the Band of Three etc... I decided to put them in Part 2 since I feel they fit in more with 'lore obliterated' rather than 'abandoned plot points'.

2. Companions

Merrill's Eluvian:

Merrill spent years fixing an eluvian with a piece of string, a potato, and some gum - managing to actually do it.

And it meant nothing.

Eluvians are now a fast travel hub - all mysticism and awe at this marvel of magic are completely gone. Whatever sacrifices Merrill went through to save her sliver of elven history is meaningless.

Imagine if Merrill's eluvian aided in the fight against Solas - if having it intact gave you an advantage against him. Imagine Merrill weeping as Bellara fixes every other single eluvian in ten seconds with her magical omnitool.

Fenris and Slavery in Tevinter:

DATV utterly trivializing slavery in Tevinter is abominable.

Disregarding everything Fenris went through, everything he ever fought for, and making it something barely touched upon in DATV is insanity.

You wouldn't know there was slavery in Tevinter if the Shadow Dragons didn't drop a line or two about it.

Fenris' entire story of going to help free the slaves is diminished because no one wanted to show the ugly, dark side of Tevinter in DATV.

DATV has retroactively made this choice for him to be so unfulfilling.

Where is Anders?

What happened with Sebastian's crusade against Anders? Was he ever captured? Was he executed? Are you telling me that no templars ever pursued this man fanatically after what happened in Kirkwall?

Does his fate vary if Hawke was friends/romanced him?

Varric appointing a new Viscount’s Keep healer called ‘Banders’ who just happens to sleep in the same room as Hawke and their children call him ‘daddy’ lmao

Does his fate vary according to who is Divine? Vivienne hunts him down, Cassandra puts him on trial, while Leliana pardons him?

How does he react to Leliana abolishing the Circles? How much does he weep when the rebellion fails and the mages are destroyed? This man instigated the starting event for DAI and drove most of DA2's major plot and he's just...gone.

The Hawke Siblings:

From DAI we know that Warden Bethany/Carver are safe, but what happened to them if they're in the Circle?

Give us Knight-Commander Carver and First Enchanter Bethany Hawke, you cowards! Have them dismantle the Gallows and be the shining examples of human decency we know they are.

What happens to them after DAI and the Mage/Templar War is concluded? In a world that can embrace or reject them - how do they find their place?

Varric

Trespasser gave him a satisfying conclusion - he's viscount, he's in his shit hole of a city, he's surrounded by the people that he loves and cares about. He has the chance to truly build up Kirkwall after all the shit its gone through.

It just feels so bitter, so meaningless, that they gave him the end that they did in DATV. Varric should never have been the one to go after Solas - the only reason it was him was because he's a popular character in the franchise and was used to draw interest.

Why not Cole?! Who was literally mentioned in Trespasser as being on hand to help his friends - who has the ability to get through to Solas in a way no one else could?

No proper send off - no acknowledgement from those who loved him as to his fate...Varric was reduced to a marketing gimmick to draw people in who wanted to see if he died or not.

Isabela

Isabela's story was brought to a close in DAI - she became an admiral, got a fancy hat, helped the Inquisition, and kept in contact with those she loved/Hawke if defended from the arishok.

Imagine bringing her back in a terrible outfit, having the most sex/gender positive character misgender another person, and making her part of the group that steals cultural artifacts from others.

The tomb of Koslun and Aveline would like a word with you?!

The entire Lords of Fortune group is also extremely bland? No commentary on the ethics/effects of colonialism/cultural appropriation - because confrontational topics/ideas are not allowed in this game. Just like topics of slavery/indoctrination.

Her entire character just seems to have regressed from DA2. Why bother having her cameo in the game if she's not going to meaningfully contribute/comment on whats happening?

Edit - Thanks to bunnyiscthulhu for reminding me that Isabela's mother sold her into marriage...yet she does nothing when Taash's mother is outright forcing them into a life they don't want. Isabela, who believed that everybody should be free - that no one should be forced into a life they don't want, just...lets it happen to another person?

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Dragon Age: Inquisition

What's going to happen to the Red Lyrium that's popped up across all of Thedas?

Ferelden, Orlais, Kirkwall - all areas are reported to have red lyrium on the surface.

What happens to the Red Lyrium in Suledin?

DAI speaks about how they can never stop the spread of red lyrium, only slow it – animals, insects, organisms - whatever life is in the ground is all susceptible to becoming blighted by red lyrium. Suledin Keep in particular was utterly devastated by the Red Templars - what happens to life there?

2. What happened to Corypheous' Inner Circle?

What happened to Samson? How long did he live *if* he’s given the chance to help Cullen? Can something good come from his cooperation?

What happened to Calpernia?

Looking at previous concept art for DATV she was a companion - freeing slaves, gossiping about Samson & Corypheous. Just...what a waste. Any potential insight we could have gotten into Corypheous is gone.

3. The Mage / Templar War:

How does the world vary if you conscripted vs allied with either?

How do the remnants of what faction was not chosen fit into this new world?

How does the world deal with abominations and weird magic shit now? Is an alternative to the Order made if it's wiped out in DAI?

How is Cullen's templar clinic doing? If the templars still exist, how is Divine Victoria changing/adapting the Order to better support mages/templars?

4. Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts:

How do Orlesian politics reflect who was made ruler?

Is Gaspard looking to expand into Ferelden once more? Are the elves being brutalized under his rule like they were by his chevaliers? Does he do away with the grand game like he threatened in DAI?

How does this differ if Briala has collared him? How do his supporters feel that Briala has his balls in a vice?

Do Celene and Briala stay together? Do things improve for the elves and for the culture of Orlais at large?

Do improvements for the elves mean that Solas' arguments to his elven agents are less persuasive?

If Florianne is alive what the hell is going to happen to her? How quickly does she fall on her blade after being forced to wear flat shoes for the rest of her life?

How quickly does shit fall apart if you get all three to cooperate lmao

Friendly reminder that DATV sets up that all of Orlais, except for the Winter Palace has been overrun by the Blight - and that a coup from the Venatori is inevitable, likely resulting in any ruler dying.

5. What is the line of succession in Orlais?!

Why does every noble family in Thedas have no contingency plans for if their head of government dies?!

Part of why we needed to resolve the leadership problem in DAI was because there was no clear, direct heir if Celene died!

Celene has no heir Gaspard has no heir

Florianne planned to frame Gaspard, murdering Celene herself, leaving no clear heir to the throne - Orlais was already in a civil war, the council of heralds/nobles would have all campaigned in their own interests...that was why this was so important!

Orlais shortsightedness and pride in their nation being the greatest in Thedas led to them almost falling in a single night!

6. Here Lies the Abyss:

What are the ramifications of having the Warden's exiled verses remaining in the south?

Trespasser literally states that there's a schism in the Order because some Warden's believe they should touch grass more often and not listen to some bloke up in Weisshaupt for what they do down in the south.

Perfect opportunity to have the wardens remaining in the south mean something! Greater numbers in the south means that there's a greater chance of holding against the blight - while greater numbers in the north can effect if Antiva/Tevinter end up blighted in the first attack!

How does public perception towards the Wardens/King of Ferelden change when they learn they were exiled for committing human sacrifice to demons?!

Give us a warden coup and First Warden Alistair / Blackwall, you cowards!

7. The Well of Sorrows:

What was the point of drinking Mythal's bathwater?!

It's been set up as something that changes you. Bound to Mythal forever?!

Retroactively, Solas feels like he's going mental about nothing! One of the few times he ever breaks - he begs you not to - and...for what? Nothing.

DATV does not acknowledge that in the slightest. Such a waste and disappointment of what was made out to be an impactful decision in DAI.

Imagine if the Inquisitor drinking from the well made us forced to fight against them during the fight with Solas - imagine if Solas, in a world state who hated the Inquisitor, used them as a puppet! Just like the envy demon in DAI - and no one notices until its too late. Imagine Mythal herself, wanting Solas to go through with his plan - (or one of the other evanuris) using an Inquisitor/Lavellan he loved as a puppet - imagine the horror he feels as another one of his friends is reduced to nothing more than a mindless slave of the evanuris once more. Imagine the devastation as he watches Lavellan lose all sense of self - perhaps swaying him to, maybe, not go through with his plan?! Imagine having Cole come back to help save the Inquisitor - or Solas begging Rook to save them.

8. DLC Implications:

What happens if Hakkon is not slain? What happens to Southern Ferelden and the Avaar?

How does the rest of Thedas react to the truth of what happened at Red Crossing and the Dales? How do they react to learning that Inquisitor Ameridan - First Inquisitor and leader of the Seekers - was a dalish, elven mage?

What happens if you do not save the mines in the Descent DLC? How badly is Orzammars economy crippled? There are already rumours of riots occurring within Orzammar - it this enough to push the caste system over the edge?

9. Elven Uprising and the War with the Qun:

The elven uprising that was implied to be occuring all over Thedas as a result of years of oppression, systematic abuse, and Solas’ influence? What happened to it?

Where are the agents of fen'harel?!

It was set up that Solas was planning to use this rebellion as a smokescreen for his plans - the elves, all rebelling for good reason, rallying to his cause while Solas planned to restore the world that once was. The rest of Thedas would only see an elven uprising, not knowing the true face behind it until it was too late!

The war between Tevinter and the Qun?!

Everyone conveniently forgetting that the Qun literally attempted to assassinate every noble family in Thedas? Why was there no exalted march because of this? This should have destroyed any accord between the chantry and the qun. There would absolutely be blood for this – Tevinter could have attacked the Qun and all of Southern Thedas would have applauded - no one would have differentiated between extremist qunari and the normal qun, especially not after Kirkwall.

The implication at the end of Trespasser that we could convince Solas to abandon his plans? Him saying that he welcomed giving us the chance?!

The difference that the Inquisitors friendship, love, or hatred could have in either convincing Solas to take another path or damning him to go ahaead with his plan, no matter the cost?

Have our decisions in previous games matter! How we treated the elves - if we worked to better their lives or 'put them in their place' - can be used to convince him that the world can change! Have the ripple effects of these decisions be seen when the elven gods return, blighted - does the world turn against the elves, hardening Solas, or does the world defend the elves from those who would blame them?

Why was Sandal in the Crossroads?! Where is Bodahn?!

10. Divine Victoria!

How does the world of Thedas change with Leliana, Cassandra, or Vivienne at the head of the chantry?

How does Tevinter react to having a mage divine?!

Do relations change between both nations because of this?

Leliana allowing elves, dwarves, and even qunari to join the Chantry! Leliana also allowing members of the chantry to get married if she's romanced by the warden.

What happened to the Seekers? Are they being rebuilt?

Does the chantry inform the masses, the rest of the mages, that they can CURE tranquility?!

If either Leliana or Cassandra was romanced - what are the implications that may have on the chantry?

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No wonder the writers insisted that none of the past choices would have an impact on Veilguard - they literally went scorched earth on everything we ever did.

Ferelden is blighted - any legacy of the warden is gone.

Kirkwall is destroyed - any impact Hawke had is gone.

The hard won peace/order of the Inquisition was rendered meaningless since every single place that you went to and helped is now destroyed by the blight.

Orlais' ruler will likely be assassinated by the venatori who are plotting a coup with the nobles - making whomever you chose obsolete.

AND IT WAS ALL THE WORK OF THE MAGICAL ILLUMINATI FROM ACROSS THE SEA???

miriam sketch

tevinter elves

HAD TO REUPLOAD BECAUSE IT WAS A GIF AT FIRST LMAO,, BUT YEAH have this Fanon animation I did at like 3 am

vora'shivan, your heart is a good heart. so trust it. i love you, bellara. and i'm proud to be your brother.

The Hermit & The Fool

Zoomed in on the love birds

Slightly shameful to admit, but nothing could stop me from playing this game

“What is the old dalish curse? May the Dread Wolf take you?”

It goes like this, the fourth the fifth

Solas babe where’s your v-neck for veilguard?

end-of-the-world meet cute ♡♡♡~

the betrayal of FEN'HAREL

Yes!!!

I've seen it said that Rook is a better romance option for Solas because unlike Lavellan, they know who he is from the get go. So let me make something clear:

Rook does not know Solas better than Lavellan does. They know his history, his crimes, even his regrets, but what he shows when they talk to him is very much a mask.

Fen'harel is not who Solas is. As dishonest as he was about his past during his time with the Inquisition, he also came the closest to being himself ever since he took a body.

In sappy terms, he hid his deeds and plans from Lavellan, but not his heart. With Rook, it's the opposite.

Who we see in Veilguard is not some kind of "Solas unmasked", it's Solas who has returned to wearing the mask he was allowed to shed for a little while and hide the fact he'd ever worn it.

The raggedy apostate who plays mental chess with Bull, trolls Sera, beats Blackwall at diamondback, who nerds out about magic with Dorian and approves of helping every single hinterlands peasant you encounter, that's the real Solas. Keeping his past a secret is what allowed him to stop being what his service to Mythal and his people made him into, even if for just a little while.

Scanned in all the pages with Solas from The Art of Dragon Age: The Veilguard :D love the concept arts so much

The Dread Wolf

Something about Davrin just fucking hurling this rock at this venatori is so funny to me. This happens in the finale of the game, and while I'm gonna keep this as non-spoilery as possible this man just fought a fucking colossal goddamn statue and singlehandedly brought it down, he pops out of the rubble like a jack-in-the-box and then just chucks this rock at this dude. He's so goddamn tired of this shit. Imagine being part of a magic eugenicist cult and dying via rock. So embarrassing. I love Davrin so much

Literally screamed when I saw Xeno 😭 I'm so happy. Super surprised they went purple for Stan's lip!

SCIENCE FUTURE: Dr. Stone Season 4 (first cour) coming January 2025

I think somewhere Weekes denied that he was under a geis but I'm not sure where, so I don't have a source. I remember Weekes also saying how heavy the theme of choice is, and think that was his reasoning against it.

[MAJOR TRESPASSER SPOILERS] Solas and Mythal

THESE ARE LIKE THE BIGGEST TRESPASSER SPOILERS EVER. IF YOU HAVEN’T PLAYED STOP FUCKING READING NOW . . . . . . . . . SPOILERS . . . . . . . .SPOILERS . . . . . . SPOILERS . . . . . . . . . OK you’ve been warned

THEORY Solas is under a Geas (going to get tin foily):

I am almost positive Mythal had placed Solas into her service before the fall of Arlathan. Similarly to how Abelas was but still different.

Trespasser Cole quotes possibly about Solas “He did not want a body. But she asked him to come. He left a scar when he burned her off his face.” “Bare-faced but free, frolicking fighting, fierce. He wants to give wisdom, not orders.”

Because of these quotes there are theories that Solas was a spirit of wisdom. But basically it seems like she asked him to serve but he told her he only will if he can remove the Vallaslin. It left that scar on his forehead. “Barefaced but free” Could be referring to the Vallaslin being gone and he is free from slavery yet serves her willingly. From drinking the well we know you don’t need the Vallaslin to serve under a geas. “A soul is not forced upon the unwilling.”

My ideas/ theories. Solas rose to ‘godhood’ by climbing to the highest ranks in Mythal’s service. Became Fen’harel. He was basically her right hand man, her wolf. And to him she was like a mother. He protected her and lead the people under her service most likely, at least for a time before her murder. She put pieces of her soul away for safe keeping, possibly went into Uthenera. If it is possible for her to communicate without her soul in a host body, could Solas have created the Veil under a compulsion from Mythal? This would be really huge, if it were true.

Flemythal quotes from DA2 “Before I go, a word of advice. We stand on the precipice of change. The world fears the inevitable plummet into the abyss. Watch for that moment and when it comes, do not hesitate to leap. It is only when you fall that you learn whether you can fly.” “Regret is something I know well. Take care not to cling to it. To hold it so tight that it poisons your soul.”

Flemythal Quotes from DAI “I nudge history when it’s required. Other times a shove is needed.”

Lavellan asks why she hasn’t helped “What was could not be changed” (very much assuming it’s about the Veil) Lavellan says we could learn from you  “You know not what you ask child.”

“For a reckoning that will shake the very heavens.” (literally?)

“You seek to preserve the powers that were but to what end? It was because I taught you girl. Because things happened that were never meant to happen. She was betrayed as I was betrayed as the world was betrayed. Mythal clawed and crawled her way through the ages to me. And I will see her avenged! But so long as the music plays, we dance.”

In the post-epilogue scene before Trespasser Solas says “The failure was mine. I should pay the price. But the people, they need me.”  Solas says “I’m so sorry” Flemythal says “I am sorry as well, old friend”. I think in context, Solas is apologizing to Mythal specifically for having to petrify her host body and take some of her power because the orb is destroyed and it was his fault. I think he knows she still has some souls locked away. When Flemythal apologizes she may be referring to her willing him to create the Veil.

So, Solas created the Veil and then went into Uthenera and I think Mythal woke him once shit started getting real and it was time to ruin everything again.

So, what if his plan is on account of a geas? Like the well. A part of him feels a compulsion from her will. We already know he served her in some way during Arlathan. So maybe Mythal is putting him under a compulsion to tear down the Veil. This could support the possibility of redemption. If you could break the Geas somehow. You wouldn’t need to fight him… potentially.

Now to the conversation that sparked this entire theory in my head. When he is speaking to the Inquisitor, if they drank from the well, Solas says “You are Mythal’s creature now. Everything you do, whether you know it or not, will be for her. You have given up a part of yourself.” If you romanced him he says “I begged you not to drink from the well! Why could you not have listened!?” If you didn’t romance him he says “Why did you do it? I warned you not to.” The word ‘begged’ with the romanced Inquisitor is big in a subtle way. It shows how deeply it pains him and how much he cares about this topic. Being that he is more attached to a romanced Inquisitor it is really upsetting to him, it’s personal. When he speaks to the Inquisitor on this subject he gets angry and suddenly seems very sad. Like he knows what you’re in for, from experience. What if he gets so angry because he knows the cost of it and he doesn’t want the Inquisitor to be forced to do morally questionable things, as he is forced to do. What if Solas is one of Mythal’s creatures.

If the Inquisitor drinks from the well, for some reason they can’t use that power to find out who Solas is. If you drink from the well you can speak to his agents in Trespasser and they don’t attack you. Yet you cannot discover his identity through it. Someone on twitter asked Patrick Weekes about this and Weekes replied with ‘Spoilers’. I’m assuming Mythal may be intentionally hiding things from the Inquisitor because Mythal needs him and is working with and/or controlling him.

Another huge point. In the quote above from Solas “Everything you do, whether you know it or not, will be for her.” This means it’s possible that he doesn’t know that she is the one compelling him to tear down the Veil. This means he also may not have known she compelled him to create the Veil. For all we know it was her fault but Solas thinks it was his fault.

When Solas brings a romanced Lavellan to Crestwood he is actually planning on telling her everything. Patrick Weekes said so in the Nerd Appropriate podcast. What if the reason he backs out of his plan to tell her at the last minute, is because he literally can’t tell her. If Mythal is making it so you can’t find out who Solas is in Trespasser or any time. This could mean Mythal is the reason that Solas kept pulling away in the romance. The reason that Solas makes Cole forget. The reason he keeps everyone at an arms length. Mythal might be the reason he didn’t tell Lavellan the truth. He really could have planned on telling her everything but if he had, Mythal knew he would ruin her plans. And what if he wasn’t aware of the compulsion during the romance as well. He plans it all out in his head. Knows exactly what to tell her and suddenly out of nowhere he can’t. He feels repelled for some unknown reason. It certainly would make the romance more beautiful and tragic, which is a very Weekes-y thing to do. Maybe when Solas told Cole he “Had no choice” but to leave her, he meant it literally. Solasmancers, this would mean that the reason he left you is because Mythal forced him to. He was so desperately in love with you that he was using all of his willpower to leave his duty and tell you everything but she keeps pulling him away from you. There is part of his mind saying ‘I need to be with her, I love her’ and as soon as he gives in there is another part that is in control of him saying ‘she is less important than the people’. Oh my fucking god I just made myself actually tear up. Like my eyes started swelling. The final point I will touch on is this theory and Solas’ personality. He seems to be a very conflicted character. He is a good guy. He genuinely does want to help people. And Weekes made a point to show this. Yet a lot of the things he has done and plans to do seem to be very out of character for him based on his convictions. He is often morally ambiguous, which isn’t necessarily bad. But he has major convictions that are extremely important to him. He can be very hypocritical in many ways. It seems like there is this odd polarity in his mind throughout the whole game. His emotions can shift through extremes as well, it seems. The mages he kills for example. Kind of like Anders (oh fuck). His mind Shifts back and forth between his opinions all of the time as well. What if that is a result of his morals conflicting with the Geas? One side of him pulling at another. He wants to tell the romanced Lavellan everything but he literally can’t. He wants to believe in this world but he literally can’t. He doesn’t want to tear down the Veil but he literally has to. I also trust Cole’s faith in Solas. It makes me think Cole knows Solas means well but Mythal may not. There is redemption in his conversations with companions throughout the entire game if you really listen to the banter. That’s pretty much what Solas’ story is about, redemption. What if this whole time he has been hating himself for things he was controlled to do or not do? * makes myself tear up literally * God this is sad, if true. Poor guy. At least that makes the redeem him option more likely to happen. Just kill me now, ugh. I seriously spent hours upon hours of writing this EDIT: from tumblr conversation Basically IF this is true it explains, in another fashion, why he despises slavery so much. And the Qun. And (if this is true) it’s sad that he lead a slave rebellion only to become an incognito slave. It is the exact thing he rants about with Bull about the Qunari. It is the worst of slavery. He isn’t laboring for Mythal, he gave his mind to her. Half of his free will is taken from him. If he is under the Geas he basically has lost a part of himself. That… makes me tear up. That is so fucking sad.