Dragon Age: What We Know About ‘The Veilguard’s Factions So Far

For the last decade, BioWare has been shy about sharing details from the next Dragon Age game—until now.

In early June, the company revealed the first trailer for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, previously titled Dreadwolf, and then released a 20:22 gameplay trailer two days later. We’ve met Rook, the new protagonist for the game, reunited with returning characters Lace Harding and Varric Tethras, and met six brand new companions, all associated with specific factions—which will impact each player’s options and choices from the jump.

Each Dragon Age game offers a different level of customization for the player character and their world, and according to GameInformer associate editor Wesley LeBlanc, the CC interface in The Veilguard is “staggeringly rich, with a dizzying number of customizable options.” LeBlanc notes that in addition to choosing from four possible races (human, dwarf, elf, and qunari) and three classes (rogue, warrior, and mage), players will also align their Rook with one of six possible factions.

Race and class impact skill trees, dialogue options, NPC interactions, and more, and factions will further impact how each player’s Rook interacts with the fictional continent of Thedas in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Although BioWare has only released some information about each faction, some players are already planning their alignment—especially because, according to LeBlanc, meeting a companion from the same faction instantly establishes a unique connection with them. Since all the companions in this game are romanceable, that may or may not be a good thing for our Rooks depending on how they’ve interacted (or not) through their shared faction.

Here’s what we know so far.

The Grey Wardens and Antivan Crows are back

The Grey Wardens have been at the heart of the Dragon Age series since Origins was released in 2009. They hold a controversial position in Thedas, but they’re also crucial to its survival. Grey Wardens conscript without prejudice, which makes them deeply unpopular, but they’re also the only ones who can effectively fight darkspawn and end Blights that endanger citizens the world over, regardless of status. In Origins, players join the Grey Wardens to end one such Blight, and in Dragon Age 2 a former warden, Anders, is a possible companion for a quest into the Deep Roads where darkspawn roam free. New lore about the Wardens unlocks in Inquisition and, depending on player choices, they can even be exiled from Orlais and Ferelden.

In The Veilguard, Grey Wardens will play an essential role in fighting two Blighted gods and what’s sure to be a massive horde of darkspawn. All of that energy leaking out of the Veil isn’t doing anyone any favors. To that end, players can choose to be Grey Wardens, which ties them to their companion Davrin and his pet griffon, Assan, and will likely give them unique abilities and knowledge to use throughout the story.

The Antivan Crows AKA the House of Crows also debuted in Origins, and the companion Zevran ranked among their number. Antiva is a small country in the north of Thedas and allegedly has a ruling monarchy, but the Crows are the ones with actual power. These ruthless assassins, thieves, and spies are so good at what they do that other nations avoid conflict with Antiva for fear of retribution from the Crows. To build their numbers, the Crows take in unwanted and orphaned children and train them in the art of assassination. Any Crow who fails to complete an assassination contract is killed.

Dragon Age players who choose the rogue class always have the option of unlocking the “assassin” skill tree and using duplicitous tactics in combat to undermine enemies and get out unscathed. In The Veilguard, players can specifically choose to be members of the Crows, creating immediate ties with “mage killer” Lucanis, whose grandmother currently runs the organization.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard also features four new factions

If the Grey Wardens or the Crows aren’t to your liking, don’t fret. Dragon Age: The Veilguard also introduces four new factions, though details for each are still largely under wraps.

With Solas, the ancient elven god known as the Dreadwolf, trying to tear down the Veil he created between the mortal world and the Fade (spirit world), elven lore will be more important than ever in The Veilguard. To that end, the ancient elven empire Arlathan will likely be a focal point, and we’ve already seen a small piece of Arlathan Forest in the game trailers. The mage companion Bellara is a member of the Veil Jumpers, who explore elven ruins and attempt to understand the reality-warping magic of the forest. Bellara is the first companion Rook meets in-game who has to be fully recruited into the mission.

Neve, on the other hand, joins the mission automatically. The disabled private detective and mage is a member of the Shadow Dragons, a resistance group that helps freed slaves in Tevinter flee from their former captors. The full scale of their operation is not yet known, though players can add their Rook to the ranks in the character creator.

Taash, who’s depicted as a fearless dragon killer in the first The Veilguard trailer, is a member of the Lords of Fortune. This treasure-hunting guild specializes in braving dangerous situations to retrieve valuable goods and historic artifacts for wealthy sponsors. No one in the Lords of Fortune expects to live long, but the thrills are ever-present.

Last but not least, The Veilguard introduces Nevarra’s Mourn Watch, a group of powerful mages who guard the Grand Necropolis and investigate magical disturbances. The necromancer Emmrich and his skeletal assistant, Manfred, hail from the Mourn Watch. While we’ve never met this specific order in Dragon Age, they are a fraternity of the royal-by-blood Mortalitasi, who mummify the bodies of Nevarran elites. The Mortalitasi are often referred to as simply “Death Mages.”

Stay tuned for more information about Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC via Steam and Epic Games in fall 2024.