Following the panning ofAnthem, many are looking at BioWare now more than ever to prove it is not just a shadow of its former self.Dragon Age 4,Anthem Next, andMass Effect 5all appear to be BioWare’s future, and that is indeed promising.Dragon Age 4just needs to continue the flow of Inquisition, worse games thanAnthemhave successfully rebooted themselves, andMass Effect 5just needs to focus on what makes it special.
Of course, that’s all a lot easier to say than do, but there’s a lot of promise inDragon Age 4. Fans have only been shown a teaser, and by last report, the game has yet to receive an official name.Dragon Age 4’s release date may be far off, perhaps with more info coming at this summer’s EA Play, but the path forward is easily seen in one character: Dorian Pavus.
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Dragon Age Inquisition & Trespasser: Dorian Pavus
Dorian is one of the 9companions inDragon Age Inquisition, where he seeks to aid the Inquisitor in the defeat of Corypheus, as well as stop Magister Alexius and the Venatori’s plot. The Time traveling plot aside, Dorian becomes a huge boon to the Inquisition and can be romanced by a male Inquisitor. Dorian’s quest revolves around his father’s use of Blood Magic to change Dorian’s sexuality, and although Dorian feels incredibly betrayed, it’s clear that he seeks the betterment of Tevinter. His personal story is just a sampling of that.
The events of Mythal’s Shrine reveal to Dorian thatTevinter did not destroy the Elves, although Tevinter and many Dalish certainly think so. This is the first real inkling of Dorian’s return to Tevinter, as he wishes to correct the course that his country is on. If Dorian disagrees with a lot of the Inquisitor’s decisions, there’s even a scene of him packing for Tevinter and wishing to leave as soon as Corypheus is defeated. There’s a chance to punch Dorian here, which is really the true litmus test.
Ultimately, by the end of theTrespasser DLC, it is revealed that Dorian takes his father’s place in the Magisterium, becoming a voice of resistance to corruption. Dorian takes a seat of power in the most hated country in Thedas
Dragon Age 4 Setting: Tevinter
IfDragon Age: Inquisition’s Trespasser DLC makes anything clear about the next game, it’s that its centered in Tevinter. The country also seems to be a hotbed for a number of upcoming plots: the war between Tevinter and the Qunari, the aforementioned conflict between Elves and Tevinter, Solas' plans to resurrect the ancient Elven empire, a distaste in the chantry with theDivine against the Imperial Chantry and Black Divine.
That’s not to mentionThe Descent DLCputting a new focus on the Titan lore, the various theories that the Creator, the Old Gods, and the Elven Gods are all somehow connected, and much, much more. In short, there’s a lot going on in Thedas Tevinter, and it seems Dorian will be at the center of it all in Dragon Age 4.
There’s a good chance his role will be somewhat limited, as is the norm for characters who could react to the Inquisition in a specific way. Luckily, it doesn’t seemDragon Age 4will put players as members of the Inquisition again, so it stands to reason that Dorian may play a small NPC-related-to-a-certain-plotline role, or he could perhaps be something more akin to an advisor. Having Dorian as a companion again would be delightful, but that doesn’t seem too likely either.
However it plays out,Solas, Tevinter, and more Dorian appear to be in the cards forDragon Age 4.
