Already in the trailers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a character keeps reappearing: A dwarf with red hair, who obviously plays an important role. Veterans already know Varric from Dragon Age 2 – but those who haven’t played it are missing important knowledge.
Who is the character? Varric Tethras is a surface dwarf, marksman, and tinkerer. He frequently appears as a character in Dragon Age, first in part 2, then again as an important informant and companion in Inquisition, and in several comics in between.
In The Veilguard Varric has been seen since the first trailers and has been appearing ever since. For fans, this is a big deal, as they have been able to build a deep bond with the dwarf over the years.
That is one of the reasons why there was so much fuss about his destroyed crossbow. Something that newcomers to Dragon Age probably cannot comprehend. But why do so many fans care about Varric?
Varric was already shown in the companion trailer, even though he is not a companion in The Veilguard:
Varric Tethras, a long-time companion
Varric makes his first appearance in Dragon Age 2. There he tells a story – the actual game that you can then play. Everything is just what Varric can share about the events.
The dwarf is a prisoner of the church the entire time and is interrogated – by Cassandra Pentaghast, for anyone who can or wants to make sense of the name.
Meanwhile, Varric tells how he met the player character from Dragon Age 2, Hawke, and what incredible deeds he accomplished. He is somewhat like a bard for your story.
Later, in Inquisition, Varric reappears as a companion. He is thus the only character who acts as a Companion in several Dragon Age games and does not just make a cameo appearance or play a supporting role.
In general, Varric is popular for his laid-back style, but also because of his weapon Bianca. The heavy crossbow is the – according to his information – only functioning repeating crossbow in the world and is named after his former great love.
The colleagues from GameStar dedicated an extensive article to Varric.
What actually happens in Dragon Age 2?
Dragon Age 2 basically takes place during the events of Dragon Age: Origins. You play as ‘Hawke’ and start fleeing from one of the villages that are being destroyed by the corruption, and fly to Kirkwall, where the actual game takes place.
While the Grey Warden is fighting the corruption, you mainly uncover great intrigues and conflicts in Dragon Age 2 – especially the beginning war between the templars and the mages.
The ongoing conflict has significant effects on the whole world of Thedas, and it is quite possible that you will also hear about the war between the two factions in The Veilguard. Having some prior knowledge is definitely useful: How much Dragon Age do I need to know in order to understand The Veilguard?
