Solas

"I have seen things in my journeys that most can only dream of. Literally."

Solas is an elven apostate hedge mage, and an expert on the Fade. He is a companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition, and a potential romance option for female elven Inquisitors.

Background
Solas grew up in a small village. Before the events that lead to the Inquisition, he spent most of his life wandering the wilderness and although his pointed ears mark him as one of the Elvhen, he does not, however, recognize himself as a Dalish or a city elf.

Despite having no contact with the Circle of Magi or any Dalish tutors (though he has had contact with clans during his travels), Solas taught himself how to master his magical abilities. Solas' prime interest is in the Fade, happily spending his time dreaming in ancient ruins and learning all there is to learn about what dwells beyond the Veil rather than joining the current Mage-Templar War. When not on the field with the Inquisitor, he prefers the quiet solace of his own company. Though he may be considered a "Hedge mage" by the Circle of Magi, Solas has some unique magical tricks of his own, such as a form of lucid dreaming to experience the hidden history of areas where the Veil is thin and how to manipulate the rifts in the Veil in unique ways via his knowledge of the Fade. As such, he is more open minded about the Fade and its denizens than most Thedosians, who in contrast have been taught by the Chantry to fear anything related to spirits.

Fundamentally, Solas believes in cause and effect, wisdom as its own reward, and the inherent right of all free willed people to exist. Solas concludes that the many current conflicts in Thedas - mages against Templars, elves against humans, spirits against demons - are little more than the black-and-white reductionist dichotomies of others which has led to the many tragedies that have occurred up until now. Though he has made attempts to reach out to others--notably Dalish elves, towards whom he is skeptical --in the past to teach them what he has learned of the Fade, he has frequently been derided by both enemies and allies as a liar and a madman. This adds to the sometimes impression in others that Solas does not care about other elves, when in fact he merely fears there is no way to help them in their current state and has grown weary of not being heeded.

Indeed, Solas harbors a moderate view of the plight of the elves, and pities those in the Alienage just as he pities those of any race who need help. He sees a world in which people cling to the little they remember and have left because they lack the power to restore it.

In terms of his behavior and personality, Solas is known throughout Skyhold as a polite and worldly man whose direction to the mysterious fortress seemed literally miraculous. He provided exactly the information and tools the Inquisition required when they required it most, and his magical knowledge was both unusual and extremely useful. As an elf, Solas neither speaks like--nor sounds like--Dalish or City elves. Kitchen staff at Skyhold note he eats little but has peculiar requirements about tea. He is also frightfully good at Wicked Grace, Diamondback and chess.

Trivia

 * In Elvish, Solas means "pride."
 * Solas' necklace is of a wolf jawbone.
 * There is a city called Solas on the borders of the Tevinter Imperium and Nevarra.
 * Mary Kirby describes him as Scotch bonnet candies.
 * Solas is referred to in promotional images as "The Mind."
 * Solas is written by Patrick Weekes, with heavy input from lead writer David Gaider.
 * Weekes considers Solas to be his early to mid-forties.
 * Solas is described as knowledgeable, logical, and refusing to believe in bad and good.
 * Solas is the first romance option to be available only to elven playable characters in the Dragon Age series.
 * Originally, Solas wasn't a romance option for Dragon Age: Inquisition, but according to Mike Laidlaw, Bioware changed his role as a Love Interest when they extended the game's development for a year. This was also an opportunity to increase the basic sadness of Solas' character.
 * Solas is referred to by Varric as "Chuckles." This is the same nickname Varric can give a sarcastic Hawke if prompted during Mark of the Assassin DLC in Dragon Age II.
 * Solas' greatest fear is dying alone.
 * Solas disdains tea, particularly caffeinated tea, as it is a stimulant and helps prevent crossing into the Fade during sleep. His dislike of tea also reflects writer Patrick Weekes' hatred of tea.
 * Despite his largely peaceful and thoughtful demeanor, Solas was hot-blooded and cocky as a young man.
 * Although he is introverted and has a discreet nature, Solas is infatuated with the "heady blend of power, intrigue, danger and sex" that is the The Game and the Orlesian Court.
 * According to Patrick Weekes, writing a character with hidden depths like Solas provided a great deal of both difficulty and opportunity.
 * Solas sometimes speaks in iambic pentameter, and the Inquisitor will always gain approval when replying in kind.
 * Earlier drafts of Solas posited him as a much weaker character, and much more prone to lying and deception. He also originally spoke much more frequently about elves.

Quotes

 * (To the elven mage Lysas in Redcliffe Village) "Sometimes to achieve the world one desires, one must take regrettable measures."
 * (To the Inquisitor) "Every great war has its heroes. I'm just curious what kind you'll be."
 * (About the Elder One) "No real god need prove himself. Anyone who tries is mad or lying."
 * "Spirits wish to join the living, and a demon is that wish gone wrong."
 * "Imagine if spirits were not a rarity but a part of our natural world like... a fast-flowing river. Yes, it can drown careless children, but it can also carry a merchant's goods or grind a miller's flour. That is what the world could be if the Veil were not present. For better or worse."
 * (To the Inquisitor) "There are few regrets sharper than watching fools squander what you sacrificed to achieve."
 * "I saw a young Qunari working in a simple kitchen, baking bread as she was ordered every morning. In every loaf she broke the rules. She’d take a pinch of sugar and fold it into the center, like a secret, and this act of small rebellion brought a shining smile to her face."
 * "You would risk everything you have in the hope that the future is better? What if it isn't? What if you wake up to find that the future you shaped is worse than what was?"
 * "War breeds fear. Fear breeds a desire for simplicity. Good and evil. Right or wrong. Chains of command."

Dialogue

 * Solas: "Some of my fondest memories were found in crumbling cities long picked dry by treasure seekers. The best are the battlefields. Spirits press so tightly on the Veil that you can slip across with but a thought."
 * Inquisitor: "Any place in particular?"
 * Solas: "I dreamt at Ostagar. I witnessed the brutality of the darkspawn and the valor of the Fereldan warriors. I saw Alistair and the Hero of Ferelden light the signal fire...and Loghain's infamous betrayal of Cailan's forces. "
 * Inquisitor: I've heard the stories. It would be interesting to hear what it was really like."
 * Solas: "That's just it. In the Fade, I see reflections created by spirits who react to the emotions of the warriors. One moment, I see heroic Grey Wardens lighting the fire and a power-mad villain sneering as he lets King Cailan fall. The next, I see an army overwhelmed and a veteran commander refusing to let more soldiers die in a lost cause."