Solas

The famed ancient elvhen god Fen'Harel, the Dread Wolf.
==History==
===Early Life===
==Involvement==
== Background ==
Solas grew up in a small village. Before the events that led to the formation of the Inquisition, he spent most of his life wandering the wilderness, and although his pointed ears mark him as one of the Elvhen, he does not recognize himself as a Dalish or a city elf.
Despite having no contact with the Circle of Magi or any Dalish tutors (though he has had contact with clans during his travels), Solas taught himself how to master his magical abilities. Solas' prime interest is in the Fade, happily spending his time dreaming in ancient ruins and learning all there is to learn about what dwells beyond the Veil rather than joining the current Mage-Templar War.
When not on the field with the Inquisitor, he prefers the quiet solace of his own company. Though he may be considered a "Hedge mage" by the Circle of Magi, Solas has some unique magical tricks of his own, such as a form of lucid dreaming to experience the hidden history of areas where the Veil is thin and how to manipulate the rifts in the Veil in unique ways via his knowledge of the Fade. As such, he is more open minded about the Fade and its denizens than most Thedosians, who in contrast have been taught by the Chantry to fear anything related to spirits.
Fundamentally, Solas believes in cause and effect, wisdom as its own reward and the inherent right of all free willed people to exist. Solas concludes that the many current conflicts in Thedas—mages against Templars, elves against humans, spirits against demons—are little more than the black-and-white reductionist dichotomies which have led to the many tragedies of history. Though he has made attempts to reach out to others—notably Dalish elves, towards whom he is skeptical—to teach them what he has learned of the Fade, he has frequently been derided by both enemies and allies as a liar and a madman. This adds to the impression others sometimes have that Solas does not care about other elves, when in fact he merely fears there is no way to help them in their current state and has grown weary of not being heeded.
Indeed, Solas harbors a moderate view of the plight of the elves, and pities those in the Alienage just as he pities those of any race who need help. He sees a world in which people cling to the little they remember and have left because they lack the power to restore it.
Solas is known throughout Skyhold as a polite and worldly man whose direction to the mysterious fortress seemed literally miraculous. He provided exactly the information and tools the Inquisition required when they required it most, and his magical knowledge is both unusual and extremely useful. As an elf, Solas neither speaks like nor sounds like Dalish or City elves. Kitchen staff at Skyhold note he eats little but has peculiar requirements about tea. He is also extremely good at Wicked Grace, Diamondback and chess.
== Involvement ==
=== Dragon Age: Inquisition ===
When Solas witnessed the creation of the Breach, he sought out and joined the fledgling Inquisition, knowing that his unique knowledge of the Fade would be of use. He entered the Inquisition camp voluntarily, surrendering his staff to Chantry forces without protest. He was granted permission to study the lone survivor of the Divine Conclave's explosion and one of the smaller rifts, in hopes of finding a way to seal the Breach and help the prisoner. Using healing magic and minor wards, Solas managed to prevent the mark on their hand from growing and save their life.
Shortly after the opening of the Breach, Solas can be found near the Temple of Sacred Ashes, fighting demons with Varric Tethras and some of the Inquisition's soldiers. He helps the Inquisitor seal a small rift, and then follows them to the Temple itself to close the first and largest rift, which he theorizes would stabilize the Breach. After the Inquisitor successfully enlists the help of either the mages or the templars, Solas helps the Inquisitor close the Breach itself.
Following the destruction of the Inquisition's base in Haven, Solas explains that the Elder One's orb is of elven origin, one of the foci used by the elves to channel ancient magics. He worries that if the orb's origin were to be revealed, it may have negative consequences for his people. He then guides the Inquisitor to Skyhold, a disused fortress in the Frostback Mountains that the Inquisition can claim as its new headquarters.
Later on, Solas asks the Inquisitor for aid in rescuing a Spirit of Wisdom who has been summoned to the physical world against its will by mages. Upon finding the spirit in the Exalted Plains, Solas discovers that the mages used the spirit to protect themselves from bandits, thus forcing it to turn against its nature and transform into a pride demon. Destroying the binding pillars reverts the demon into a feminine humanoid form. As the spirit passes, Solas turns his anger on the mages. The Inquisitor can either talk him down or let him murder them. Solas then leaves the party and returns to Skyhold on his own.
If taken to the peace talks in Halamshiral, Solas is introduced as the Inquisitor's elven servant. He later comments that he adores the "heady blend of power, intrigue, danger and sex" that is the Game and the Orlesian Court. During Here Lies the Abyss, Solas marvels at being physically present in the Fade. In the Temple of Mythal, Solas sheds some light on the elven gods.
When the Inquisitor finally defeats Corypheus, Solas laments the destruction of the orb as the loss of yet another elven artifact. With Corypheus defeated and the orb lost, he leaves the Inquisition. Leliana's agents are unable to locate him; she intends to continue her search, however.
In the post-credits scene, Solas meets with Flemeth, who addresses him as the Dread Wolf, as well as an old friend. Solas tells her that he allowed the orb to fall into the hands of the Venatori in order for Corypheus to unlock its true power—something he could not accomplish on his own, as he was too weak after awakening from his long slumber. Solas seems remorseful, and recognizes that he deserves punishment. He claims, however, that while "[he] should pay the price," he cannot face this punishment yet, as the People still need him. He apologizes to Flemeth, which she answers with an embrace and an apology of her own. Following this exchange, Solas seems to affect Flemeth in some way and strands of light emerge from her body. She collapses in his arms, seemingly petrified. When Solas raises his head, his eyes glow with the same blue light that had emanated from Flemeth.
==== Trespasser ====
In the two years following Corypheus' defeat, Solas amassed a large network of spies and agents, some of which he placed inside the Inquisition. They eventually stumbled upon a Qunari plot (Dragon's Breath) to invade southern Thedas, and disrupted it by discreetly pointing the Inquisitor in the right direction. The Qunari pursued him in turn, believing him to be an agent of Fen'Harel. As Solas had gained control of the eluvians, and substantially grown in power since his time in the Inquisition (including being able to petrify people with a thought), he remained elusive.
Once the Inquisitor has removed the threat of the Qunari invasion, Solas lures them to the Crossroads to explain himself and save their life, threatened by the Anchor.
If the Inquisitor has gathered enough evidence, they can call him out on being Fen'Harel, to which Solas will either congratulate them with high approval, or remark that they have grown clever since he left with low approval. Otherwise, Solas will confess to being Fen'Harel himself.
He reveals that he fought back against the Evanuris after they betrayed and murdered Mythal, in his words the one elven god who served as a voice of reason, who cared for and loved her subjects. As punishment for her murder, and to protect the world from the Evanuris' excesses, he erected the Veil and banished them to the Beyond while he fell into a long slumber. This caused irrevocable damage across Elvhenan: the elves lost their immortality and some of their magic, countless marvels reliant on the Fade crumbled. He has since vowed to walk the solitary path of the Din'Anshiral in order to restore the elven people, regardless of the cost to Thedas or himself. He cannot be swayed at all, even if romanced.
He also reveals that he was the one who gave Corypheus the Orb of Destruction, or rather that his agents left the foci where the Venatori would find it and return it. His plan was for Corypheus to unlock the orb and die in the resulting explosion. He did not foresee Corypheus having uncovered the secret of effective immortality. Had all gone according to his plan, he would have reclaimed the orb and used its power to tear down the Veil with the Anchor. After the world would burn from the ensuing chaos, he would have then restored the world of his time—the world of the elves.
He warns the Inquisitor about the inevitability of an organization as large as the Inquisition becoming corrupt, and points to the presence of both his spies and the Qunari's to prove it already has. Their conversation is cut short by a flare of pain from the Anchor. As the Inquisitor doubles over in pain, they can either declare that they will stop Solas or try to redeem him and show him that the world that exists now is worth saving. Regardless of their answer, he uses his magic to disintegrate the Inquisitor's left forearm, taking the Anchor away and preventing it from killing them. He tells them to enjoy what time they have left before departing once more.
This conversation has several variations depending on approval.
With high approval he is far more forthcoming in his explanations, and if romanced he calls the Inquisitor "my love," kisses her one last time, and tells her he will always remember her before he walks away. She may also choose to end their relationship at this point as well.
If friendly and seeking to redeem him, Solas will tell a befriended Inquisitor that he looks forward to being wrong again, and asks them to grab his hand so he may remove the mark. If Solas is befriended and the Inquisitor asks why the world must be destroyed, Solas will not answer the question but will smilingly remark that the Inquisitor has always shown a thoughtfulness he appreciated, and that it would be too easy to tell them too much.
If the Inquisitor never exhausted one of Solas' questions chain and expresses no interest in his explanations, he curtly explains his nature and purpose, tells them their mark is killing them and removes their arm much more roughly, saying only that their death would cause unnecessary problems. He also notes that he alone would have been able to bear the Anchor without dying. Depending on dialogue choices, he will confirm to the player that he's stronger now than he was when they met. Should the Inquisitor attempt to attack Solas, he causes the Anchor to flare up, immobilizing them.
It is also confirmed that Solas—Fen'Harel—employed the elven agent Felassan and regretfully killed his friend when he failed to obtain the eluvians for him. Instead of keeping his word to Fen'Harel, Felassan had stopped Briala, his city elf protégé, from sharing the passcode with him after she gained control of the eluvian network. He had come to believe in Briala's ability to guide her own people, even seeing some of Fen'Harel himself in her. A dreamer himself, he met Fen'Harel in the Fade to accept retribution for his defiance. In the years following his departure from the Inquisition, Solas is forced to complete Felassan's failed assignment on his own. He personally overrides the magic to take control of Briala's eluvians himself.
=== Dragon Age: Deception ===
The plot follows BioWare's own canon, meaning it may not follow some of the player's choices in the games.
----Gaius, an elven agent of Fen'Harel, acquired the idol from Kirkwall by impersonating Magister Qintara. He traded it away to House Danarius for information, which isn't something Solas would have approved of.
=== Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights ===
The plot follows BioWare's own canon, meaning it may not follow some of the player's choices in the games.
----Numerous stories within the anthology detail the current doings and whereabouts of Solas and his "Fen'Harel cultists," as well as the steps taken to oppose him.
Callback
After Skyhold's caretakers attempt to restore the fresco in the rotunda, a demon of Regret manifests, its body formed out of the plaster of Solas' murals to the Inquisitor. It's three-armed and multi-eyed and looks like a wolf that has absorbed a dragon. It claims to be an echo that has breached the Fade, the regret of a god, drawn by a very ancient regret. It asks Sutherland, who came to investigate Skyhold, if he knows the dread that's coming.
Sutherland eventually lures the demon to him, yelling that he regretted acting alone, and using his friends, just like the demon does. As Sutherland and Company destroy it, Regret shows a glimpse that it might have become Contemplation or Introspection instead, if it had been allowed a particular thought: "There might have been a better choice."
Genitivi Dies in the End
By special commission of the Inquisition's Inner Circle, Philliam, a Bard!, Brother Genitivi and Formerly Sister Laudine are sent on an expedition to the Silent Plains to look into the Fen'Harel question by finding the true history of the elven pantheon. They find an ancient elven library that "fell" into the Deep Roads when Arlathan "fell." Rasaan arrives soon after, looking for Solas' true name. She says that Solas is the name of a self-styled martyr, and that Fen'Harel is a name given by his enemies that has been incorrectly translated into "Dread Wolf".
Half Up Front
Agents of Fen’Harel attempt to destroy Kont-aar with a ship rigged to detonate. They intend to implicate a Tevinter Altus mage in the explosion to remove any chance of peace between Tevinter and the Qunari. The mage in question foils the attack by taking the exploding ship far out at sea. Both agents of Fen'Harel kill themselves rather than be captured.
The Dread Wolf Take You
Charter, a spy of the Inquisition, calls for a meeting of Thedas' best spies to share information about Solas and his plans to restore the empire of the ancient elves. A Carta assassin, a Mortalitasi, an Executor from across the sea, and an Orlesian bard meet with Charter in Hunter Fell, at a tavern called The Teahouse.
The Carta assassin says that Solas wants the lyrium idol, retrieved from Meredith's statue thanks to a potion, and that several people were killed in their sleep, as if during a bad dream, including dwarves. The Mortalitasi says that she was attacked by the Dread Wolf in the Fade while using the lyrium idol as part of a ritual with a Tevinter mage. She describes the Dread Wolf as a six-eyed lupine beast the size of a High dragon. He accused her of threatening all of creation with her careless use of his idol, and that her life would be forfeit if she bound any more spirits. An army of spirits attacked her in the real world through a rift after the ritual collapsed. The Orlesian bard claims that he saw Solas retrieve the idol from an auction house in Llomerryn.
Their stories indicate that Solas has already started the ritual he intends to use to restore the elven empire, that it involves and has already started to affect the Fade, and that it requires the lyrium idol.
As they all start accusing each other of lying, Charter realizes that Solas is in fact posing as the Bard (wearing a dragon mask and long blonde curls), and that he's turned the Executor to stone with a touch to prevent him from speaking. She asks for her life, and he grants it to her, but kills the Carta assassin and the Mortalitasi. He claims that he has no choice but to go through with his plan, that it will save the world, and that the elves who still remain, like Charter, might even find it a better place. He also says that revealing his plan to the Inquisitor was a moment of weakness and that he is no god, only prideful, hotheaded and foolish. He asks her to apologize to the Inquisitor when she reports to them, then leaves.
=== Dragon Age: Dark Fortress ===
The plot follows BioWare's own canon, meaning it may not follow some of the player's choices in the games.
----Note: Dragon Age: Dark Fortress is likely set before some of the events of The Dread Wolf Take You
After successfully stopping the Red Wraith, members of Vaea's group disband and reflect that they found success against their enemies and only experienced one casualty–for now. Unbeknowst to them, Tractus Danarius has stolen the lyrium idol; Solas watches him from an eluvian. In the final panel, the text reads "Never the end."
=== Dragon Age: Dreadwolf ===
The 2018 Game Awards teaser features Solas in a voice-over, saying, "So, you have found me at last. I suspect you have questions," echoing his words to The Inquisitor in Trespasser. Solas has been speculated to be either or both of the figures in the mural showed at the end of the trailer.
A Behind the Scenes trailer was debuted on August 27, 2020, and included new concept art and models of various characters and locations, including Solas. In the video, Solas, once again voiced by Gareth David-Lloyd, says "They call me the Dread Wolf. What will they call you when this is over?" As The Inquisitor already knows his identity as Fen'Harel, it seems likely this is addressed to the next protagonist.
==Physical Description==
==Personality==
== Approval ==
: Main article: Solas/Approval
Solas' approval can be raised by showing intelligence—even if it means being ruthless at times—asking questions, and being thoughtful. He also responds positively to actions that generally support mages and elves (and marginalized people and groups, in general), and to an open-minded attitude about magic and the Fade, as well as spirits and demons. Remaining stubborn or becoming defensive on issues of elven culture, particularly if the Inquisitor is an elf, can lead to a reduction in approval.
Solas will always opt for more thoughtful solutions, and is a strong believer in freedom of personal thought. Choices that invalidate these factors in game go against his philosophy. Consequently, sacrificing the Bull's Chargers, allowing the death of his friend the spirit of wisdom, and recruiting the Grey Wardens will all net disapproval with Solas. In general, Solas approves of "people who are interested in finding out knowledge."
Completing the quest Measuring the Veil, as well as related quests to strengthen the Veil and secure elven artifacts also leads to increased approval from Solas. Activating the aforementioned elven relics in the various zones of the game can unlock a final quest, What Lies Dormant.
If Solas' approval gets too low, a scene will occur in Skyhold where Solas confronts the Inquisitor about their manipulative behavior and support of divisive ignorance. Solas disappointingly takes comfort in the fact that the Inquisitor proved every negative stereotype he had of their race right. Despite their differences, Solas willingly remains with the Inquisition because of a lack of better options to resolve the current crisis and hopes he will one day be heeded.
==Relationships==
===Ellana Lavellan===
===Malika Cadash===
===Maxwell Trevelyan===
===Kaaras Adaar===
== Romance ==
Solas is a potential love interest for female elven Inquisitors.
Patrick Weekes has noted that making Solas available solely to female characters was a decision made to avoid the pitfalls of expected tropes and cliches with his character.
Flirtation may begin almost immediately following the Inquisitor's awakening in Haven after stabilizing the Breach. The first chance to kiss Solas occurs during a conversation with him in the Fade version of Haven following the establishment of Skyhold, if flirt options have been taken. If the Inquisitor decides to kiss Solas, he'll reach for her just as she starts to look away and will begin to passionately kiss her back. Later, he will apologize for his impulsive nature, stating that doing things becomes "easier" for him in the fade. The Inquisitor can then tell him that nothing else should happen between them, or suggest that there's something between them. If she does suggest that they have a connection, he'll agree. But he'll also say that he needs time to think about starting a relationship with her, as there are things to take into consideration.
Pursuing Solas' personal quest All New, Faded for Her may also bolster his approval of the Inquisitor or else break off the romance, depending on the outcome and dialogue options chosen. At this point, Solas will ask to speak with the Inquisitor privately, and will bring her to her room's balcony. The player can choose whether or not to officially begin a romance with Solas during this conversation.
If the Inquisitor officially pursues a romance with Solas, she will get special dialogue and cutscenes if she brings Solas with her to the Winter Palace during the mission Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts. He'll talk to her after the events of the mission, and if the Inquisitor has completed his personal quest and progressed sufficiently in his romance, Solas enthusiastically asks her to dance with him.
Following events at the Temple of Mythal, Solas may ask to spend more time with the Inquisitor, which marks the culmination of the romance. Though he does not have a specific gift for the Inquisitor, Solas takes the Inquisitor out to a secluded cove in Crestwood. There, he ultimately offers her the truth of the nature of vallaslin to show that she is important to him; however, according to the developers he might not have otherwise told her at all, as he becomes quite flustered during the conversation and moves onto a safer topic than he originally intended to broach with her. He offers to remove the Inquisitor's vallaslin, which the player can accept or reject.
The Inquisitor and Solas will share an intimate moment with one another after the player rejects or accepts the removal of the vallaslin. However, Solas will gaze sadly at the Inquisitor afterward, and tell her that he is sorry for distracting her from her duty, and that it won't happen again. No matter how the Inquisitor reacts to this, they will part ways. When the Inquisitor tries to press the issue with Solas after, he appears very regretful for hurting the Inquisitor, but refuses to answer why he cannot be with the her. He'll refuse to say that he doesn't care for the Inquisitor deeply, and will say that it hurts to not be with her, but states that it was "selfish" of him to pursue anything with her in the first place. If the Inquisitor begs him not to leave her and confesses her love, he will sadly look at her and confess, "You have a rare and marvelous spirit. In another world..."
Note: If the player allows this scene to play through to its conclusion, it will not be possible for them to romance other characters afterwards. The relationship must be broken off by the player early on in the cutscene.
Solas had actually been planning on telling the Inquisitor the truth about who he was and his involvement with the elves and Corypheus when he brought the Inquisitor out with him to the secluded cove in Crestwood. However, at the last second he lost his nerve, and used the truth about the vallaslin as an excuse as to why he brought her out there instead. When he kisses the Inquisitor, he is fully ready to lose himself in her and forget about the mission he has dedicated himself to. However, when he pulls back, he realizes that he cannot do that lest he betray himself. He decides right then that he needs to break off his emotional entanglement with the Inquisitor, as much as it hurts him. Solas cares deeply for the Inquisitor, in more ways than he is able to express. He is always one step away from confessing everything to them.
In the end, whether you decide to perform the ritual or not he will tell you after you defeat Corypheus, "No matter what comes, I want you to know that what we had was real." Or, alternatively, if a romanced Lavellan expresses anger toward him after the breakup, his parting words will be, "You were right to be angry. I hope, in time, you will understand."
=== Trespasser ===
If the Inquisitor re-affirms her relationship with Solas and attempts to convince him to abandon his plan, Solas will comment mournfully that she has shown him that this world does have value and that he will never forget her. Afterwards, if Lavellan has chosen to try to redeem him, she continues to have dreams of her love watching her in the Fade but every time she reaches out to him, he vanishes. Still Lavellan searches, dreams and waits, for a way to change the Dread Wolf's heart.
==Relationships==
===Ellana Lavellan===
===Malika Cadash===
===Maxwell Trevelyan===
===Kaaras Adaar===
==Skills & Abilities==
==Weaknesses==
==Possessions==
==Quotes==
==Etymology==
==Trivia==
* In Elvish, Solas means "pride." According to David Gaider, Pride—in terms of Fade demonology—would be created from a corrupted spirit of Faith. According to Solas, spirits of Wisdom can also be corrupted into demons of Pride.
* Solas' necklace is of a wolf's jawbone.
* There is a city called Solas in the Tevinter Imperium north of the Silent Plains.
* Mary Kirby describes him as Scotch bonnet candies.
* Solas is referred to in promotional images as "The Mind."
* Patrick Weekes considers Solas to be in his early to mid-forties.
* Solas is described as knowledgeable, logical and refusing to believe in evil and good.
* Solas is the first romance option to be available only to elven playable characters in the Dragon Age series.
* Originally, Solas wasn't a romance option for Dragon Age: Inquisition, but according to Mike Laidlaw, Bioware changed his role as a Love Interest when they extended the game's development by a year. This was also an opportunity to increase the basic sadness of Solas' character.
* Solas is referred to by Varric as "Chuckles." This is the same nickname Varric can give a sarcastic Hawke if prompted during Mark of the Assassin DLC in Dragon Age II.
* Solas' greatest fear is dying alone.
* Solas disdains tea, particularly caffeinated tea, as it is a stimulant and helps prevent crossing into the Fade during sleep. His dislike of tea also reflects writer Patrick Weekes' hatred of tea. His distaste for tea is known around Skyhold.
* Despite his largely peaceful and thoughtful demeanor, Solas was hot-blooded and cocky as a young man.
* According to Patrick Weekes, writing a character with hidden depths like Solas provided a great deal of both difficulty and opportunity.
* Solas sometimes speaks in iambic pentameter, and the Inquisitor will always gain approval when replying in kind.
* Earlier drafts of Solas posited him as a much weaker character, and much more prone to lying and deception. He also originally spoke much more frequently about elves.
* Cole was always aware of who and what Solas really was.
* There was at one point a planned "Quest for Solas" epilogue for Dragon Age: Inquisition, which was ultimately cut from the final game. Furthermore, a variant ending had the Inquisitor present during the epilogue cutscene.
Category:Characters
Category:Elves
Category:Mage
Category:Male