Spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard ahead.
Digging deeper into the story ofDragon Age: The Veilguardcan reveal the ideas and themes BioWare layered into the game utilizing chess, such as how Rook and Solas reflect the strategic move of “castling” in the game’s narrative. As the fourth game in the series and a near-direct continuation toDragon Age: Inquisitionand its DLC,Dragon Age: The Veilguardsignificantly expands on the evolving lore and mystery behind the series so far, ranging from the mythos of ancient elven gods to the origins of the Blight itself. However, the game’s protagonist, Rook, is at its center, with players pitted against the infamous Dread Wolf Solas.
However, with a few recurring chess-related details, like Rook’s namesake or the decorative chess set inDA: The Veilguard’s Lighthouse hub, it appears to become increasingly obvious that BioWare has threaded chess motifs throughout the game. From the roles key characters potentially embody within this chess framework to the leading role the player is forced to take as Rook throughoutDA: The Veilguard, BioWare may have taken inspiration from the game of strategy to flesh out its own story. As a result, moves like castling showcase how Rook outmaneuvers Solas by the end ofDA: The Veilguardwithin its storytelling.
Exploring Chess and Castling in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
ThoughDA: The Veilguard’s chess-related details might appear surface-level, it seems BioWare has been intentional with certain characters, decorations, or other key information it included in the game. For instance, Rook’s chess set is an official version of the game known as hexagonal chess which, interestingly, includes nine pawns and nine pieces, meaning there is one for Rook andeachDA: The Veilguardcompanion. However, beyond this, as a rook is considered a major piece alongside a queen, it is arguably unsurprising thatDA: The Veilguard’s protagonist is named as such given the influence of chess on its narrative.
This is where the move known as “castling” is crucial for Rook’s story inDA: The Veilguard, as the strategy behind this move is to remove the king to a safe position while developing the rook for the game. A vital plot point inDA: The Veilguardembodies this strategy, reflecting the invertedconnection between Rook and Solaswhere Solas is “safe” in the Fade while Rook is continuing the Dread Wolf’s fight against Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain. In short,DA: The Veilguard"castles" Rook and Solas early in the game to force Rook to take charge on Solas' behalf while simultaneously helping him.
How Chess and Castling Influences Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Storytelling
If players were to considerDA: The Veilguardas its own chess game, then the castling between Rook and Solas becomes critical to the game’s storytelling as it explains their roles. In addition to giving Rook a more active role in Solas' fight against Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain, who could be seen as the opposing side’s king and queen, it explains why Solas keeps to the game’s background until its final act. Similar to the king in chess itself, Solas only becomes a valuable ally duringDA: The Veilguard’s ending, even though Rook retains their active role while Solas is weaker and ultimately defeated as a result.
It could also be argued that in terms of castlingDA: The Veilguardopts for the “queenside” move, given how Solas uses blood magic to interfere with Rook’s mind and keep them from remembering Varric’s death. Unlike the “kingside” option, queenside leaves the king more exposed in chess, which could be reflected inDA: The Veilguardwhere Solas is equally exposed by Rook realizing Solas has betrayed them, and how Solas underestimates Rook’s ability to escape the Fade. With the lengths BioWare appears to have gone to with these chess parallels, perhaps the studio is planning to continue these withDragon Age’s Executors in its next game.
