‘Dragon Age’: What you need to know from the comics before playing ‘Veilguard’

Although there’s no official canon for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, there’s a wealth of information about Thedas and its people in the Dark Horse Comics series published since 2012.

When players start up Dragon Age: The Veilguard when it drops on October 31 (or later), they can customize the world of Thedas to their liking. The game’s creative director, John Epler, told The Gamer that there’s “no canon” for the fourth installation in the series because each player’s world-state is “a very personal thing.” The Dragon Age Keep, which stored players’ choices from each game, is no longer in use, replaced by a Veilguard prologue.

For seasoned players, many of these choices are locked in and have been for years. But what about new players or people who want to shake things up? Not only do the comics provide context for some of the settings in the new game, like Minrathous, but they could also serve as the basis for world-state decisions or even provide headcanon inspiration for players as they jump into the new game.

Here’s what you need to know from the Dragon Age comics before you play Veilguard.

Dragon Age: The First Five Graphic Novels

Dragon Age: The First Five Graphic Novels, published by Dark Horse in 2021, collects the limited series The Silent Grove, Those Who Speak, Until We Sleep, Magekiller, and Knight Errant in one book. This collection follows Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 characters Alistair, Varric, and Isabela on a twisted quest; introduces “mage-killer” Marius and his handler, Tessa; and introduces Ser Aaron Hawthorne and his squire, the elven thief Vaea. The timeline spans from the events of Dragon Age 2 to the end of Dragon Age: Inquisition and beyond, with references to in-game events throughout.

In the comics world-state, Alistair is the king of Ferelden. His father—presumed dead after being lost at sea—has been technically alive all along, his blood working as a catalyst for a spell by a powerful Tevinter magister. At the end of Until We Sleep, Alistair kills the mage, frees his father (which kills him), and returns to his throne.

Magekiller takes place concurrently with Dragon Age: Inquisition and expands the world of Thedas by exploring the Tevinter Imperium and the Venatori (a cult of Tevinter nationalist supremacists). Inquisition companion Dorian Pavus guest-stars and there are cameos from the game’s advisors, as well as familiar settings from its map. Knight Errant, which introduces Ser Aaron Hawthorne—a knight who once served Alistair’s father, Maric—and the elven thief Vaea, takes place during Varric’s coronation as viscount of Kirkwall. They’re caught up in a recovery mission for the Inquisition, which informs later comic arcs.

Dragon Age: Wraiths of Tevinter

Dragon Age: Wraiths of Tevinter, published by Dark Horse in 2022, collects the limited series Deception, Blue Wraith, and Dark Fortress, which are billed as the canonical continuation of Dragon Age: Inquisition. These stories introduce the con artists Olivia Pryde and Calix Qintara, the Venatori plant mage Francesca Invidus, and a Mabari named Autumn. They also star Ser Aaron Hawthorne, Vaea, Marius, Tessa, and Dragon Age 2 companion Fenris, and feature cameos from other game characters like Dorian.

Two assassins from the Antivan Crows, Diego and Teia, are also introduced. They will very likely appear in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The Antivan Crows and the Greywarden factions return in the fourth game, and four new factions are also introduced. Players can align their Rook with any of the six factions and unlock unique dialogue options with companions and other NPCs based on their chosen alliance.

Additionally, it’s possible that Marius, Tessa, and Vaea could appear as NPCs in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, especially given their involvement with the Inquisition in the comics. Knowing them ahead of time may or may not influence players’ decisions to work with or recruit them if the opportunity arises, but in a world as big as Thedas where every choice has an impact, knowledge is definitely power.

Dragon Age: The Missing

Arguably the most important comic to know heading into Dragon Age: The Veilguard is The Missing, an immediate prequel/tie-in published by Dark Horse in 2021 and 2022. The story follows Veilguard returning favorite Varric and companion Lace Harding (who first appeared in Inquisition) on their mission to track down Solas, the elven god known as the Dread Wolf.

They work with Grey Wardens Antoine and Evka; recurring Inquisition agent Charter; Diego and Teia; Veiljumpers Strife, Irelin, Binde, and Tist; and Neve, a new companion in Veilguard who works with the Shadow Dragons faction. The Missing ostensibly covers most of the decade of in-universe time between Inquisition and Veilguard and shows some of the new locations that players will get to explore in the new game, including the Tevinter capital Minrathous.

The comic reveals Varric’s reluctance to go on this quest with Harding, as well as his refusal to bring the Grey Wardens into the greater fight against Solas because they are already losing members left and right to huge demons in the Deep Roads. It also reveals how many of the factions featured in Veilguard have crossed paths because of Solas’s path of destruction, and the wild magic circulating through Arlathan Forest and altering space and time there.

As revealed in Dragon Age: Inquisition DLC Trespasser, Solas intends to tear down the veil between Thedas (the physical world) and the Fade (the spirit realm) to restore the glory of the ancient elves. Unfortunately, this will result in mass genocide and violent chaos, forcing our heroes to stop him at all costs. If the chaos wrought in The Missing is any indication, Solas has already done massive amounts of damage to Thedas and its residents—and everyone has a part to play in the war to come.