Summary
This article contains major story spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
The antagonists forDragon Age: The Veilguardwere recently confirmed to be Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain, two of the Evanuris who are members of the elven pantheon of gods. Seen in theDragon Age: The Veilguardtrailer, the two gods rise behind Solas just before the trailer cuts to black. This is the first time any of the Evanuris besides Solas and Mythal have been seen inDragon Age, but there are plenty of clues in the lore that tell players what they can expect from the Evanuris, and from Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain in particular.
Elgar’nan: The Father of the Evanuris in Dragon Age
Elgar’nan is the husband of Mythal, the head of the elven pantheon, and is the god of the sun and vengeance. The Dalish believe that Elgar’nan came into existence when the sun touched the earth. When the land created life in celebration of Elgar’nan, the sun grew jealous and began to cause devastation. When Elgar’nan saw the destruction caused by the sun’s jealousy, he flew into a rage and destroyed the sun by throwing it into an abyss. With Mythal’s coaxing, he recovered the sun on condition it set every day. This story establishes Elgar’nan and Mythal as the first and leaders of the elven pantheon. Elgar’nan goes on to become known as the god of vengeance and, in other stories, judges those Mythal deems unworthy of mercy.
The writings at the Temple of Mythal, and in the Deep Roads and the Shattered Library inTrespasseradd nuance and a different, more sinister side to Elgar’nan. The Shattered Library has a record that describes a “thousand-thousand” slaves carving a monument of Elgar’nan in a single afternoon. His statue is described as having “narrowed eyes”, and an “open, snarling mouth”. A codex entry in the Deep Roads describes a theory thatdwarves fear the sun because of Elgar’nan’s fire, which alludes to the possible war the elves had with the Titans. Writings in the Temple of Mythal speak of Elgar’nan’s lightning and fire to destroy “the Earth that shakes our cities”, corroborating the theory.
Ghilan’nain: The God of Navigation Among the Evanuris
Ghilan’nain is the Mother of the Halla, and the god of navigation. The Dalish pray to her when they’re lost, andInquisitor Ameridan notably builds a shrine to her inJaws of Hakkon. Halla are small, white deer with intricate horns that are revered by the Dalish; they pull Dalish aravels and are viewed as companions rather than livestock or pets. The creator of such a benevolent creature may appear to be kind and generous, but other depictions of Ghilan’nain portray her in a very different light. Writings on The Skin that Stalks, found inTrespasser, indicate a scientist’s musings about tests done on countless living people. While the writing does not name Ghilan’nain, the writings are stamped with a halla signature, the symbol of the goddess.
Ghilan’nain’s characterization as a mad scientist is further explored in theTevinter Nightsstory ofHorror of Hormak, where the Grey Wardens stumble across one of her abandoned labs. The bas-reliefs that line the passageways before the lab proper depict hundreds of elves being taken to the mountain as prisoners, and the halla are depicted as monstrous and insectile. The lab itself is a chamber with a brine pool that combines different beings into new monsters. Writings found in the Temple of Mythal tell how Ghilan’nain created monsters for Andruil to hunt until they began to prey on the elves. In return for destroying the monsters, Ghilan’nain would be ascended to the Evanuris pantheon.
Solas claimed that he imprisoned the Evanuris because they killed Mythal, but it’s also likely that they used the Blight to do so. It’s been confirmed that bothElgar’nan and Ghilan’nain are Blighted inDragon Age: The Veilguard. Doubtless, there is more to their story and their relationship with Solas that has been revealed so far thatDragon Age: The Veilguardwill hopefully reveal.
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 can’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.
