You probably were so engrossed in the endless options of the character creator, you might have gotten caught by surprise that there is a whole another character to create at the end of the whole process?
Of course, for folks new to the Dragon Age universe, the entire section will feel like a quiz they didn’t study for, but returning players will likely immediately recognize the task to recreate their character from the previous game — the Inquisitor.
But even if you played the previous game, the options might feel a bit murky… what was it that happened with the disbanding of the Inquisition…? Seems like an important enough question, if it was worth including, right? Well, while it might really just boil down to a few dialogue lines when you get to meet the Inquisitor in the game, you might still want to know a bit more context behind the picks you are making in this section. Luckily, that’s exactly why we put this guide together!
The current version of the guide contains no spoilers for The Veilguard. It will soon be updated with hidden information about how these choices affect events in the game.
What Do the Inquisitor Choices Mean?
To the relief of new players and disappointment of the veterans, you will only get 3 questions to worry about: whom the Inquisitor romanced, whether they disbanded the Inquisition at the end of the previous game’s final expansion, and how they viewed their responsibility regarding Solas, the Dread Wolf.
1. Friendship and Romance
Decide whether the Inquisitor was romantically involved, and, if so, with whom.
This one is the typical “yay, I get to hear about my two lovelies again” moment of Dragon Age games. We often get rewarded with the mention of our loved one when we hear about or encounter our previous character in the sequels, and here you get to recreate that for yourself.
Of course, there are some limitations as per the (unmodded, yes) original romantic character preferences of Dragon Age: The Inquisition. Dorian, for example, was a male gay character, so it wouldn’t sound right if a female Inquisitor could pick him, and vice versa for Sera, while a few of the other characters were strictly straight, like Cassandra, Cullen, and Blackwall.
An interesting option for new players (or those undecided) might be a female elf Inquisitor who had a relationship with Solas. If you are here for the story, consider how that exacerbates the drama of his character and his story. He was in love with the Inquisitor and he chose to leave her to pursue his goals, and you will get to hear about this fact.
2. The Fate of the Inquisition
The Inquisition grew too powerful too quickly for the comfort of the world’s great kingdoms. They called a council, demanding it be brought to heel.
The disbanding of the Inquisition was a meaningful choice at the end of the story that unfolded over the course of The Inquisition and its expansions. You can think of it as the game world’s way of acknowledging the main hero’s power creep. After getting involved in so many plots and getting so many allies on its side, the Inquisition started to outgrow its original wartime purpose. Can the Inquisitor recognize the risks of consolidating so much power in a single organization of this nature?
The two choices are either letting the organization exist with significantly reduced autonomy under a powerful religious organization with a lot of history under its belt (more on that below), or simply letting the former Inquisition go now that it has outlived its purpose, pursuing the new threat on more independent terms.
This choice will reflect some of the thinking that the Inquisitor had put into addressing this question, and primarily address the involvement of the Chantry in this new chapter of conflict.
Disbanded
The Inquisition was formally disbanded.
This particular options is fairly simple: yes, the organization has fulfilled its original purpose, and the Inquisitor is willing to recognize that there might be unintended consequences of letting it exist within the same unchecked structure. The uncertain future and the threat of Solas’s plans as the Dread Wolf might call for new kind of alliances, and the Chantry (the other option) might not be the best fit for this mission.
Given to the Chantry
The Inquisition’s forces were absorbed into the body of the Chantry.
If the Inquisitor made this choice, perhaps they felt like the organization should continue, but be more accountable for its future actions. There are still many issues it can help address using its now incredible influence, after all, and the question regarding Solas is far from being resolved. But what might getting absorbed under the Chantry mean for the reputation for an organization known for its autonomy? What kind of views might end up getting imposed upon it?
3. The Hidden God
When Solas told the Inquisitor he intended to merge the physical world and the Fade, he admitted this would cause death and destruction. Despite insisting there was no other way, Solas did not relish the cost in lives.
Solas caught the player character in The Inquisition by surprise. By that I mean, he lied. Well, I suppose, he artfully withheld a very crucial piece of information and hid behind half-truths while playing a wise companion weirdly knowledgeable about Fade-related things and interested in specific artifacts, disappearing right after the final battle with the big bad without a single word (imagine romancing the guy).
And then… well, turns out he went ahead and started working on his plan to tear down the Veil (you know, that thing protecting us from the entirety of the Fade) and you just stumble upon him in the elven ruins, surrounded by a bunch of Qunari he just turned to stone with his god-magic, to hear about how this noble pursuit of his — to undo his own mistakes — will destroy the entire world and its people as it exists, all in favor of an ancient elven civilization filled with magic, and rainbows, and butterflies, and all the good things.
Sorry, that was a mouthful. It was all very drawn out and dramatic, trust me.
To explain the two choices you will see in this section, it’s pretty much either a declaration of Solas as a threat to the human civilization, or otherwise an “I can fix him” moment. How much goodness did the Inquisitor perceive in Solas’s heart, and how willing are they to incur some risk to try and get Solas to see the errors and the unfathomable cost of his own pursuit?
Vowed to Stop Solas
Solas vanished in order to put his plans into motion. The Inquisitor pledged to stop him.
Okay, yeah, there isn’t much trust to be had with someone who just pretends be your loyal follower, hiding incredible godly powers behind their belt, to reveal a major plan that pretty much goes against everything you have been fighting for this far (namely, the future of the world on this side of the Veil). The Dread Wolf carries too much power to be playing games of friendships and trust, to read much into the shallow “I wish I didn’t have to”, and to risk the worst possible kind of outcome just so that the man would step down from such a destructive course of action.
If the Inquisitor you envision arrived to this conclusion, it (wisely) means that the fate of the entire world is much more important to them than the pursuit of a peaceful outcome with Solas.
Vowed to Save Solas from Himself
Solas vanished in order to put his plans into motion. The Inquisitor refused to give up on him.
Thing is, Solas kinda did make a mistake. When he created the Veil, he did destroy an entire elven civilization. In a way, it is possible to make sense of the desperation behind his actions. Since he woke up from his slumber only a year before joining the Inquisition, it’s understandable that he has more emotional attachment to the wonderful immortal way of life, his own people whom he destroyed, and beautiful cultural wonders entirely dependent on the existence of the Fade. The original act was brought upon by a desire to create a better life for a civilization toiling under tyrants, with Solas rebelling upon beings far less noble than his actions today might suggest.
How can one understand a motivation of this kind, especially when its price is the incursion of an apocalypse?
If the Inquisitor you envision took this stance regarding Solas, perhaps they felt something genuine and kind still kindling in his soul. The regret he bears, the immense internal struggle, the guilt in his eyes at betraying his friends, all in the face of the immense debt he owes to those he wronged.
