Summary
Dragon Agehas exhibited a trend over its past three releases, where the apostate mage in the party betrays the protagonist and leaves at the end of the game;Dragon Age: The Veilguardmay carry on that tradition. The companions inDragon Age: The Veilguardconsist of a party of seven, and include two mages: Neve Gallus, a Tevinter mage, and Emmrich Volkarin, a Mortalitasi from Nevarra.
The mage that betrays the party has traditionally been an apostate mage. However, asDragon Age: The Veilguardtakes place in the North, where the institution of the Circle is different and the concept of apostates differs from the South, neither Neve nor Emmrich are apostates.
Mage Betrayals Across Dragon Age
Dragon Agehas set a trend where, three games in a row, the mage has betrayed the party:
IfDragon Age: The Veilguardcontinues the tradition of a mage betraying the party, the most likely candidate for players to be suspicious of would be Emmrich. Between the two mages, Neve is a member of the Minrathous Circle, and is dedicated to eliminating corruption in Minrathous. Emmrich is a necromancer andMortalitasi from the Great Necropolis in Nevarra.
Necromancy in Nevarra, Tevinter, and Beyond
Necromancy is a school of magic that is frowned upon or outright forbidden in many parts of Thedas, with Nevarra being the notable exception. Within Nevarra, necromancy is considered both a normal and a decent profession, where mages communicate with spirits that inhabit the bodies of the dead. As a necromancer in the largest necropolis in Thedas, Emmrich would likely be well-respected in Nevarra.
However, outside Nevarra, Emmrich’s position would warrant suspicion from others. While technically not an apostate thanks to his ties to theGrand Necropolis in Nevarra, his role and status would not likely be recognized outside Nevarra. This would likely be the case even in places like Tevinter and Rivain, where the population is far more open to unconventional magic than other places like Antiva.
Possible Mage Traitors in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
This sets Emmrich as the closest to the role of the apostate mage. In the short stories that Emmrich has appeared in so far, his personality depicts him as helpful, affable, patient, and kind-hearted. Because of these positive attributes, it feels counterproductive to suspect him of betraying the party but, asSolas proved inDragon Age: Inquisition, appearances can be deceiving.
What Remains to be Seen About Emmrich and Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Both Morrigan and Anders were both more volatile characters than Solas, with agendas that lay beyond the party’s. It remains to be seen what Emmrich’s story and his own motivations are, real or feigned. But, as a mage who dabbles in magic that most of Thedas consider to be taboo, it’s likely that, if BioWare continues the trend it established, Emmrich could be the mage to betray the party in some form. Either way, it’d be best to keep a healthy dose of suspicion for him, as it’s more likely than not that one of the mages will turn on the party in some fundamental andemotional way at the end ofDragon Age: The Veilguard, though hopefully not as dramatically as Solas.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world.Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you may’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.
