Fade rift

Fade Rifts are small tears in the Veil that connect the waking world with the Fade, allowing demons or spirits to pass through the veil from the Fade to wreak havoc. However, any demons that escape from these rifts cannot stray too far from the opening, appearing to be anchored in some way to the tear in the Fade.^[1]

Involvement[]

Dragon Age: Origins[]

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.

During King Arland's siege on Soldiers Peak in 7:05 Storm^[2], Grey Warden Commander Dryden ordered the mage Avernus to summon demons from the Fade to aid in the fight. However, the demons Avernus summoned killed indiscriminately and killed Wardens and Fereldan royalists alike. The magic had tore open the Veil and caused Soldier's Peak to be overrun by demons.

The Warden can convince the demon possessing Sophia Dryden to seal the tear in the Veil, or assist Avernus in doing so. The demon suggests that if it were allowed to leave Soldier's Peak, the Veil would grow weaker and result in more demons in the keep. But it is forced to remain by Avernus's magic, only freed upon his death.

If chosen to fix the Veil, the possessed Sophia says it will "feed" the Veil to make it strong again, claiming to "sew the strands together, make lattice with pain, experience, and exquisite agony." If Avernus is assisted instead, he unravels the summoning circles he drew when the Veil was first torn.

Witch Hunt[]

This section contains spoilers for:
Witch Hunt.

While In Search of Morrigan, the Warden visits Kinloch Hold and seeks out the statue of Eleni Zinovia, which kept in the Tower Basement. Upon entering the basement, the Warden is attacked by the Sentinels, who upon being sufficiently damaged, temporarily reveal Veil Tears. Upon reaching the statue, conversation with it is fruitless as it is panicked about something. Finn speculates that this is likely due to the tears in the Veil, and advises fixing all of them to rectify the problem. The Warden, Finn, Ariane and their Mabari companion succeed in closing the tears in the Veil, although it is not entirely obvious how.

Awakening[]

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening.

After the Warden-Commander has been transported into the Fade version of the Blackmarsh, they are tasked with finding and disabling three veil-tear apparatuses. Interacting with these devices in the Fade results in the mending of the Veil, sealing rifts between the Fade and the waking world.

Dragon Age: Inquisition[]

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

In 9:41 Dragon, a Conclave was held at the Temple of Sacred Ashes in an attempt to bring an end the Mage-Templar War. Members of the Chantry, Templar Order and the rebel Circle of Magi Mages, along with their leaders, gathered at the Temple when an explosion occurred, destroying the temple and killing everyone present, save for one person. The explosion caused a large break in the Veil into the Fade, called the Breach, that allows demons and spirits to escape into the mortal world. At the same time the Breach formed, many smaller rifts were created throughout Ferelden and Orlais.

In order to close a rift, it must first be opened wider and charged with fade energy. This tends to attract demons and so after a rift is opened a number of demons must be fought to generate enough magical energy to close the rift.

Lower level rifts tend to spawn shades, wraiths and terror demons with a stronger variety of demon such as a rage demon or despair demon as the final opponent once a rift is nearly closed. Higher level rifts can spawn more powerful demons such as pride demons or fear demons earlier.

There are 14 Fade rifts that the Inquisitor can close only at certain points during the main quests, as well as 81 throughout the regions of Thedas the Inquisitor explores. Closing a Fade rift rewards a small amount of Power (typically 1-2 points per rift) and Influence.

Fade rifts are also mentioned at the War Table:

Keeper Deshanna Istimaethoriel Lavellan mentions that Wycome is "a safe place with few rifts" during the operation Protect Clan Lavellan.
Lady Annamaria of Dairsmuid mentions that "rifts have damaged the Fade even here in Rivain" in a letter to Josephine during the operation Obtain Amulet for Cole.
In a War Table Dialogue, Cullen inquires about news of Fade Rifts beyond the reach of the Inquisition, to which Leliana replies that such rifts exist and that the news is "not good".

Trespasser[]

This section contains spoilers for:
Trespasser.

At some point prior to the Divine Conclave, Kirkwall had multiple rifts open and "weird glowing fade rocks" appear from within them. The Inquisitor visited Kirkwall at least once to close these rifts.^[3] Additionally, if not Divine, Cassandra will mention that there was a rift at the port of Antiva City, closed by the Inquisitor in the spring.^[4]

Dragon Age: Magekiller[]

Tessa and Marius fend off demons pouring from a Fade rift by a small farming village while helping local villagers flee during the events of Dragon Age: Magekiller.