The Venatori appear quite frequently inDragon Age: The Veilguard, but unless the player has a little prior knowledge or pays a lot of attention, they might not catch exactly what the shadowy faction is up to. With four mainline games, six novels, an animated film, and innumerable spinoffs,Dragon Agelore goes deep- sometimes intimidatingly so. The relatively linear nature ofThe Veilguardmeans its plot often moves at a blistering pace, skipping over the finer details and hoping players will catch them as they fly past (or check the Codex later to catch up).
Skipping the Codex is a major butcommonDragon Agemistakethat can mean missing out on massive swathes of the series' complex and often bizarre lore. Still, all that reading is a big ask for more action-focused players, and it’s easy to miss the odd document here and there. So, for anyone who happened to miss the fragmented, complicated lowdown on the Venatori inDragon Age: The Veilguard,here’s everything to know in one place.
Who The Venatori Are In Dragon Age Lore
The Venatori & The Tevinter Imperium
The Venatori are a clandestine faction (arguably a cult) hailing from the Tevinter Imperium, the largest and most dominant human society in the world ofDragon Age.Above all, the Venatori believe in Tevinter’s (and by extension, humans') inherent supremacy, as supported by the mandate of their god, the Elder One. The Venatori are primarily mages who hold that their own power makes their eventual dominance inevitable.
It’s believed that the Elder One will one day elevate all those who follow the Venatori’s way of life to god-kings, at which point they’ll rule over the mortal realm while the Elder One rules over the Fade. And for what it’s worth, he did try. DuringDragon Age: Inquisition,the Elder One is revealed to be Corypheus, a Tevinter Magister corrupted into a Darkspawn by his ceaseless pursuit of power, best known for his failed attempt to capture the Golden City (see below).
Why You Should Play A Qunari In Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Out of the four possible lineages in Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s character customization, the Qunari are the series’ most iconic and elusive.
Until the Elder One comes, though, they consider it their duty to subjugate or destroy as much of the non-Tevinter world as possible. However, the Venatori aren’t an official faction, so they don’t have access to the full might of the Imperium’s standing army.Instead, they attempt to disrupt the operations of other cultures, nations, and factions through subterfugeand deceit. By staging targeted assassinations, manipulating political rivals, and generally being a nuisance to everyone but themselves, the Venatori hope to cause enough chaos that the rest of the world tears itself apart.
The Venatori play a major role inDragon Age: Inquisition, in which the faction itself, along with its leader Gereon Alexius, serve as its primary antagonists. They attempt to influence both the mage rebellion and the Tevinter-Qunari War that take root across Thedas, seeing both as potential threats to Tevinter’s eventual rule. However, regardless of the player’s choices throughout the game, the Venatori suffer a devastating blow as the Inquisitor defeats Corypheus, destroying the source of his power and leaving the faction without a ruler.
Where The Venatori Come From
Corypheus & The Venatori
Again, the Venatori come from (and claim to work on behalf of) the Tevinter Imperium, butthey’re not officially sanctioned by the Imperium in any way. Not all in Tevinter share their ideals, although some of its Magisters certainly do, even if they’re afraid to voice their support. Opinions vary: some see them as a direct threat to Tevinter’s peace, while others consider them a useful tool.
In particular,Inquisitioncompanion Dorian Pavus greatly disapproves of the Venatori, dismissing them as a fanatical splinter cell.
It’s hard to say just how long the Venatori existed, but it was obviously predated and quite likely founded by Corypheus, the figure the Venatori worship as a god.Corypheus was born Sethius Amladaris in ancient Tevinter, where he served as a High Priest of the Old God Dumat and a Magister Sidereal. A mid-level noble who wanted more, Amladaris began speaking with Dumat in his dreams, who promised to make him a god in exchange for his conquest of the Golden City.
Believed to be the origin of the Old Gods, the Golden City is located within the Fade, which Amladaris was able to enter with the help of his fellow Magisters. However, Andrastian legend has it thatthe Golden City is actually the realm of the Maker, who banished the Magisters and after their pride tarnished the city, turning it black. (Corypheus later asserts that the city was already corrupted when he got there.)
What Happens To The Venatori In Dragon Age: The Veilguard
The Venatori, Ghilan’nain, & Elgar’nan
So, Corypheus is handily defeated by the beginning ofDragon Age: The Veilguard,but the Venatori keep showing up. They appear pretty regularly from the beginning of the game, usually attempting to throw a wrench in the works of whatever Rook and their allies are doing. They’re obviously weakened - they’re not as great in number or in power as they once were. They effectively comprise one of the game’s recurring enemy types, having fallen far from the big bads they once used to be.
As Rook and their allies investigate thereappearance of Ghilan’nain and Elgar’nan, they discover that,in Corypheus' absence,many of the remaining Venatori came to worship these Old Gods. They’re acting in their service throughoutThe Veilguard, and have come to realize that Rook is actively fighting their new deities' conquest. Therefore, they follow them throughout the world, attempting to foil their efforts wherever possible, hoping that they still have a chance to claim the power they believe they’re entitled to.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Rook Misses What Made Past BioWare Protagonists Great
While Veilguard has a lot to offer new players, the protagonist Rook doesn’t hold up to what long-time fans of the franchise and BioWare games expect.
Of course, there’s some debate over Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain’s identity. Although some believe them to be members of the Old Gods, Solas holds thatthe two of them are actually ancient elven mages who ascended to the elven pantheon, the Evanuris, through magic. In that case, they actually do have quite a lot in common with Corypheus, except for the central component of identity. Elves have historically been subject to oppression, even slavery in the Tevinter Imperium.
That meansthere’s a shade of irony to the Venatori’s newfound commitmentto the Evanuris, If they knew them in any other context, they’d probably hate them. Still, that doesn’t make them any less dangerous, and their machinations often pose a significant obstacle for Rook and their allies. But by the end of the game, the Venatori are once again defeated, and it’s unclear at this point whether they’ll return. There may no longer be a future for the Venatori in whatever comes afterDragon Age: The Veilguard, as after two crushing defeats, they have little left to fight for.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is the fourth entry in the Dragon Age franchise and a sequel to 2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition. A classic character, Solas, will return as the new game’s antagonist. The game will retain many of the series' staples, such as multiple dialogue options, party choices, romantic options, and more. Dreadwolf will act as the first direct sequel in the Dragon Age franchise.
