BioWare’sDragon Ageseries has been a massive draw for both fantasy and RPG fans for years, with the franchise’s previous three entries gaining critical acclaim and earning a committed fanbase. The next installment in the popularDragon Ageseries was first announced in 2018 during The Game Awards, and since then players have been desperate for more details. Information on the upcoming game has been fairly thin, and it was only recently revealed that the sequel would be calledDragon Age: Dreadwolf. This official title confirmed a few things, namely thatthe elven mage Solaswill be a prominent antagonist and that it will be a direct sequel of sorts, unlike the previous entries.
Other than a few sparse revelations and announcements,Dragon Age: Dreadwolfis still mostly a mystery. There are certain things that fans want to see from the game, like returning characters or more diverse origin stories for the playable protagonist, but they will have to wait and see if these are included. One thing that gamers do know, however, is that the upcomingDragon Age: Dreadwolfwill take place in the mysterious Tevinter Imperium. This means that the country’s capital, Minrathous, will likely make an appearance and could be the series' most interesting location yet.
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The Importance Of Minrathous
While the Tevinter Imperium has been referenced in many previousDragon Agegames and used as a setting for some spin-off novels, players have never been able to explore it for themselves. WithDragon Age: Dreadwolfmoving the action to this highly secretive and hierarchical region, gamers will be able to get their first good look at where characters likeDragon Age: Inquisition’s Dorian call home. Tevinter is a very different type of areacompared to Thedas' other diverse regions. While mages are mostly treated with suspicion or even open hostility in other places, they are the ruling class in Tevinter.
Mages control the entire Tevinter Imperium, and it is the oldest human nation in all of Thedas. There is also anongoing war between Tevinter and the Qunari, which will undoubtedly impact the events of the game given its setting and the prominence of Qunari inDragon Age: Inquisition’s story DLC,Trespasser. Tevinter is a vast region, and there are many political and social powers at play that gamers will probably have to navigate. Wherever the game takes them, it’s likely that a lot of the story will focus around Tevinter’s capital city – Minrathous.
Minrathous is built on an islandnear the shore, with one bridge serving as the only point of access. As well as the more urban environments, there are large ports, shipyards, and even an impressive network of underground catacombs below the entire city. This could provide some fascinating layers and unique areas to Minrathous, but also offers something different from the larger settlements seen in previousDragon Agegames. The teaser trailer forDragon Age: Dreadwolfalso offered a new design twist from the regions of the first three games, as the magic-infused street signs and architecture of Minrathous almost seemed more steampunk than traditional fantasy.
A Comparison To Orlais
Orlais challenges Tevinter for the crown as the largest and most powerful nation in Thedas. WhileTevinter used to have a much bigger area of influence, it has since diminished and other powers like the Orlesian Empire have risen in its place. Orlais is a vast region perhaps most known for its extravagance and distinct culture. Art, fashion, cuisine, and politics – all are prominent aspects of Orlesian culture, and there is a very distinct class divide with those able to live lavish lifestyles in stark contrast to those who cannot afford to. The aristocratic society is rife with political intrigue, gossip, backstabbing, and hedonism, and everyone is constantly fighting for favor and influence.
Theunique culture of Orlaishas helped to shape its region, with its capital city Val Royeaux becoming a beacon of beautiful architecture in line with the Orlesian preoccupation with artistry and aesthetics. Val Royeaux and the areas of Orlais that players explore duringDragon Age: Inquisitionprovides a distinct setting from other regions within the game, and a touch of affluence that isn’t really present anywhere else. Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, which takes place in the Winter Palace in Orlais, offers a unique mission-focused predominantly on court intrigue instead of combat. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the rest of the game, even if it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and shows off some beautifully-designed areas of Thedas that aren’t creature-riddled forests or gloomy castles.
Just as Orlesian culture has shaped the cities and buildings that players encounter, Tevinter culture will have a profound effect on the Minrathous that gamers should be ableto explore inDragon Age: Dreadwolf. There hasn’t really been an area or country that they have previously encountered where mages have held such sway, and the size of Minrathous, as well as the magic that will likely be infused into all aspects of the city, should make for a really exciting setting.
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The Significance of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s Setting
Players might have had a chance to explore the twistingstreets of Kirkwall inDragon Age 2, with the vast majority of Hawke’s adventures centered around events in the city, but the other games haven’t had such a centralized focus. Making Minrathous a potential hub location and the setting for a lot ofDragon Age: Dreadwolf’saction would be an interesting take that would at least separate it from its direct predecessor, in addition to earlier games. One ofDragon Age 2’s criticisms was the lack of diversity in its settings and its rather limited scope (mostly due to development constraints and a tight schedule), butDragon Age: Dreadwolfdoesn’t seem like it will suffer the same problems.
Minrathous is canonically huge as well as significant, and it should offer the developers plenty of freedom to design a truly majestic and expansive setting. The difference in design, from the almost neon-lit atmosphere of the city to its gothic pretensions and floating structures, certainly sets it apart from other cities players havealready seen inDragon Agegames, and hints at a fresh new direction forDragon Age: Dreadwolfas well.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolfis in development.
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