Something BioWare is known for across its many games is the memorable characters that players can encounter. Whether it’s a superb protagonist or a colorful companion, the studio usually does a great job of filling its in-game worlds with compelling NPCs and playable people. BioWare’sDragon Ageseries is no different, with three mainline games, comics, and books full of amazing characters and intriguing plot lines. With the highly anticipatedDragon Age 4currently in development, fans of the franchise are looking forward to seeing what new characters BioWare might introduce, as well as which fan favorites might make a return to the fourth installment of theDragon Ageseries.
While not much is currently known aboutDragon Age 4, including its official title or its release date, players do know that the next game willtake place in the mysterious Tevinter Imperium– a location that, up until now, the games have only referenced. Fans are excited to see this important location in person, and the upcoming setting offers plenty of interesting directions for the story and the game mechanics to go in. One major thing that Tevinter’s inclusion points to is the return of one of the most popular characters fromDragon Age: Inquisition, and that is the talented necromancer Dorian Pavus.
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Setting The Stage For Dragon Age 4
Dragon Age 4’s plot may largely still be kept under wraps, but players do know some details thanks to the previous games, DLCs, and additional stories released in comics and tie-in novels.Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Trespasser DLC, in particular, introduces some of the major conflicts that will likely carry on to the subsequent entry in the series.
WhileSolas was established as a nuanced and sympathetic antagonistat the very end ofDragon Age: Inquisition,it was Trespasser that fully developed this late-game twist and helped give insight into his motivations. With the focus on Solas in the trailer forDragon Age 4, he has also been presented as a major player in the upcoming game. The fallout of his return and the apparent exodus of elves that it has encouraged will undoubtedly have huge consequences forDragon Age 4’s storyline.
TheQunari were also explored more fully in Trespasser, and given that race’s often historically violent and antagonistic relationship with the Tevinter Imperium, it is likely they will also feature more inDragon Age 4. As with the previous two titles, plot threads and hints were touched upon inDragon Age: Inquisitionthat will help set up the action for the following game, with plenty of questions still left unanswered, and possible consequences of player actions left unresolved as well.
Many characters undergo changes throughout the third game’s narrative, but none more so than Dorian, who starts as an irreverent hedonist and ends the game determined to face up to his responsibilities and bring change to his homeland of Tevinter.
A Tevinter Setting
Although there are subtle differences depending on the choices that players make and the nature of their relationship with Dorian, the blood mage decides he wants to make a difference and help right the many wrongs that have taken placein Tevinter by the end ofDragon Age: Inquisition. He becomes the official Tevinter ambassador to the Inquisition in the DLC, and even inherits his father’s seat in the Magisterium after his death. It is mentioned that he becomes a voice of reason in the sometimes archaic and extremely restrictive society, and works with fellow mage and Tevinter Magister Maevaris Tilani to transform their homeland into a more enlightened and hospitable place.
Consideringboth Dorian and Maevaris' importancein the overturning of Tevinter society, as well as their founding of the Lucerni faction to redeem the region, it seems likely that they’ll both make appearances inDragon Age 4. Tevinter is a troubled and treacherous place, and it makes sense that players will be somehow involved with trying to improve society alongside characters like Dorian.
With Solas' intention to tear down the Veil between Thedas and the Fade, magic will also probably be playing a large part inDragon Age 4’s main plot. As Tevinter is a society that values and is predominantly run by mages, prominent mages like Dorian seem like natural fits for both the focus of the story and as ways to deepen the player’s connection to it.
The sarcastic and flirtatious mage is also an incredibly popular character, and BioWare would definitely be missing a trick if it didn’t bring him back in the next installment. Hisexisting connection with Solas, who is either the primary antagonist or at least a very important one, will also have interesting narrative implications. The two previous companions already have a history together, and as the player character will most likely be new on the scene, these pre-established relationships will become even more vital.
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Returning Companions
Although Dorian seems like an incredibly likely candidate to make a return, there are also others that might appear again. In thetrailer released forDragon Age 4, the roguish dwarf Varric Tethras narrates the action, hinting at his inclusion as well. As a companion in bothDragon Age 2andDragon Age: Inquisition, Varric has proved integral to the major machinations of Thedas, and he will probably not be able to stay out of the action completely inDragon Age 4either. Like Dorian, Varric also appears in the anthologyDragon Age: Tevinter Nights,which many players have used as an introduction to the setting ofDragon Age 4.
The series has a history of bringing back characters, like Cullen who transitioned from a fairly unimportant NPC and background Templar to the military adviser for the Inquisition and popular romance option by the third game. Characters like the lethal Leliana and theWitch of the Wilds Morriganalso make multiple appearances, and depending on player choice Alistair is likewise a returning figure in differentDragon Agegames.
If characters prove particularly popular, like Alistair, then BioWare seems more inclined to bring them back, if only for fan service reasons and not necessarily vital plot points. This bodes well for Dorian’s inclusion inDragon Age 4and would also help to strengthen the ties betweenDragon Age: Inquisitionand the latest entry in the series.
Dragon Age 4is in development.
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