Varric Tethras is a top contender for one of the most beloved companions in theDragon Agefranchise, and one many fans hope to return inDragon Age 4.Inquisition’s final DLC, however, finds the roguish dwarf in a very different position, becoming Viscount of Kirkwall, the main setting forDragon Age 2and a powerful and independent trading city in the Free Marches.
While BioWare has yet to release confirmation of the setting of the next game, there are several big hints that the game could be taking place at least partially in Tevinter, bordering the Free Marches. With the possibility thatDragon Age 4could take place in more than one of Thedas’ countries likeInquisition, Viscount Varric’s new-found position could make him a far more powerful – and very different – ally to the dwarf players have come to know sinceDragon Age 2.
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Viscount Varric’s Promotion
Varric’s role as the snarky underdog narrator ofDragon Age 2and his return inInquisitionhas made him a fan-favorite character.Inquisition’s Trespasser DLC serves as an epilogue for the companions the Inquisitor has met along their adventures, and includes Varric’s semi-reluctant promotion to the Viscount of Kirkwall after his investment in the city’s reconstruction projects and his characteristic constant complaining gets mistaken by the nobles for self-nomination.
Trespasser also hints that the other leaders of Kirkwall were happy enough to elect Varric due to the precarious position of the role.Dragon Age 2players can make Hawke the Viscount over the course of the game, but it is revealed in Hawke’s appearance inInquisitionthat they have been forced to step down from the role by the Templars, who have driven themselves to paranoia with the use ofRed Lyrium, a magical substance the origins of which remains one of the biggest mysteries in theDragon Agefranchise.
WithDragon Age 4quite likely taking place in Tevinter, having Varric as the leader of Kirkwall could make him a great ally in the region, though no doubt the protagonist ofDragon Age 4will have to gain his trust first. This could potentially be gained by helping Varric deal with some of the internal threats hinted at in Trespasser.
Varric, Tevinter, and the Prince of Starkhaven
Varric’s epilogue in the DLC states that “under his rule, the city state finally resumed its place as the major trade hub of the Free Marches. He continues to ignore all mail from both the Merchant’s Guild and the Prince of Starkhaven.” This epilogue playfully reveals that at the very least Varric is in contact with Sebastian Vael, who has returned from exile to become the prince of Starkhaven after the events ofDragon Age 2'’s The Exiled PrinceDLC – a development revealed at theInquisitionwar table.
Starkhaven is another major city in the Free Marches. IfDragon Age 4has a mechanic similar to the war table inInquisition, Varric could provide an immense amount of resources from a rejuvenated Kirkwall in the fight againstDragon Age 4’s antagonist. His promotion could also give the player character a personal link through Varric to Starkhaven’s Prince, another powerful potential ally near Tevinter’s borders. On the story side, it also gives BioWare a great narrative path into some thus far unexplored regions of Thedas using familiar faces from the franchise’s past, with Varric seeming the natural choice as one of thebest characters in theDragon Agefranchise.
If the cities of the Free Marches were to form some kind of alliance thanks to Varric and Sebastian’s relationship, players could find themselves responsible for the the fate ofmutiple countriesDragon Age 4. This relationship might be particularly vital, as Sebastian’s family was murdered in a coup organized by Lady Harimann, a noble of Kirkwall. With the bad blood between Starkhaven and Kirkwall still a painful recent memory, Varric could be vital in healing that divide and helping to unify the Free Marches against a greater threat, whether it be from Tevinter or elsewhere.
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Speculation and Dragon Age 4’s Future
Varric’s time as a companion to both Hawke and the Inquisitor means that he has more experience with some of the only recently unraveling mysteries ofthe Dragon Ageworld. This includes exposure to Red Lyrium and the revelation in The Descent DLC that lyrium is the blood of Titans – and could hold the secret to unlockingdwarf mages inDragon Age 4. Not only would he be one of the most powerful men in Thedas, but as a consistent companion over the last twoDragon Agegames, he would be one of few that the player could trust to take the looming threat of Solas the Dread Wolf and his plans to destroy the Fade seriously, despite the disconnection from the Fade which affects most dwarves.
WithDragon Age 4’s release datestill a long way off, players don’t know which companions will return or whether Varric will appear as a companion or merely an interactable character in the next installment of BioWare’s flagship fantasy franchise. What’s clear, however, is that in his new role Varric could provide some much-needed support in a relatively unfamiliar part of theDragon Ageworld against threats which still have to be revealed. If players get to see a revitalized Kirkwall and possibly Starkhaven inDragon Age 4, Varric would almost certainly have a big role to play.
Varric is not the only old friend in a position of power, withDorian becoming a Magister in Tevinterand Leliana, Cassandra, or Vivienne taking on the role of the Divine Victoria, leader of the Chantry. For now, players will have to wait to find out what roles their former followers will have to play in the world ofDragon Age. What is certain however, is that many fans are hoping to see Varric’s return in the next game, and that, considering his unique position, he could certainly be central to the story if BioWare decides to give the dashing dwarf, and his crossbow Bianca, another outing inDragon Age 4.
Dragon Age 4is in development.
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