Dreadwolf!

If you’ve been following the development of what has been thrown around as “Dragon Age 4” and caught wind of #TheDreadWolfRises on social media a few years back, then this probably isn’t the biggest shock. But, at least that which has been suspected is now officially true according to BioWare. Fans of the series can look forward to returning to the magical, mystical world of Thedas in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

In its latest blog post about the game, BioWare asserts that one not need know anything about the actual Dread Wolf before playing this game, and that all pertinent information will be properly revealed to new players. Though they did “give away” that this means we will see the return of Solas (he’s the Dread Wolf, aka, the elven trickster god known as Fen’Harel), a powerful elven mage who accompanied the world-saving Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Solas vanished at the end of that game’s main story, but his main motives were revealed upon his reappearance the DLC, Trespasser.

The short version of Tresspasser’s conclusion is that Solus/Dread Wolf/Fen’Harel wants to restore the elven kingdom at the expense of Thedas’s present state (and its inhabitants). He had corrupted the Inquisition itself as a stepping-stone and leaves the Inquisitor with a choice: save or end the Inquisition. No matter the decision, or even if the Inquisitor makes s futile attempt to kill Solas, the most significant thing made clear is that the Inquisitor will need to step outside the bounds of two familiar regions, Orlais and Ferelden, to seek help from an unusual source, the Tevinter Imperium. This ancient dominion run by mages isn’t the place of power that it used to be, but it continues to influence Thedas’s direction and people nonetheless.

Rumors have long been floating around concerning the placement of this next Dragon Age adventure, and Tevinter was a natural choice as one of a few important spots that were constantly mentioned in previous games but were never an option for exploration. BioWare promises that more info about Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is forthcoming, but if the end of the third game is to be believed, then there’s reason to be excited about the prospect of not only becoming immersed in the Tevinter Imperium, but also other of Thedas’s northern lands including Antiva, Rivian, and potentially even the Qunari homeland, Par Vollen. Furthermore, all this could lead to the return of several familiar faces from the series, which I, for one, certainly would not mind.

But, speculation is speculation, and I’ve no need to fill the Dragon Age rumor mill any further. I’m happy to hang on Dreadwolf for a time while imagining Thedas-themed scenarios of what might be.  If nothing else, it’s good to know that development on the series is continuing and that Dragon Age’s future looks pretty bright…or dark, depending on your point of view.

Lede image captured by author during PC gameplay of Dragon Age: Inquisition (© BioWare.)