The next entry in the popular BioWare franchise, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, is already shaping up to be a pretty ambitious game. From Dragon Age: Origins to Dragon Age: Inquisition, the world of Thedas and the stories of the characters who live there have continued to expand, and Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will be able to use that solid foundation of compelling narratives and exquisite worldbuilding for its own twisting tale. The next installment will be combining both old and new elements, but there are some aspects of the franchise's lore that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf should definitely explore.

From misunderstood elven gods to mage-run societies, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is setting up a fascinating story for gamers to explore. In addition to the never-before-seen setting of the Tevinter Imperium, it looks like there might be some unique companions for players to get to know as well. With these exciting new features and hopefully many returning aspects from the previous games, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf should be a worthy new addition. With lots of narrative ground to cover already, the game could still delve a little deeper into some of the different groups to be found in Thedas like the mysterious Mortalitasi.

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Explaining The Mortalitasi

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Players will know that mages run the show in the Tevinter Imperium, but there's also an interesting group of mages in nearby Nevarra who themselves have a lot of power and influence in the region. Originally founded by a Tevinter mage named Vitus Fabria, the Mortalitasi actually have a surprising connection to companion Cassandra Pentaghast who is related to the ruler Vitus was a personal adviser for. Since their formation, the Mortalitasi have been closely linked to the Nevarran royal family, and have often been employed as advisers who helped to shape the region's political landscape.

Some in Thedas believe that the Mortalitasi's practices are more than a little troubling given their preoccupation with death. Mages that are seen to engage in the darker side of magic, like necromancy or blood magic, are looked at with even more suspicion than their magical peers that rely on power from the Fade. Mages face a lot of prejudice and persecution throughout most of Thedas, and dabbling in death magic definitely doesn't help their reputation with non-magical folk. This has made many outside of Nevarra treat the Mortalitasi with suspicion and misunderstand their obsession with death.

What Part They Could Play In Dragon Age: Dreadwolf

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Solas art

Although the Mortalitasi haven't featured prominently in previous games, that might be about to change. Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights - an anthology of short stories that used both familiar faces and new characters to expand on some of Tevinter's lore - acts as the perfect setup for Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. It also includes several tales that feature Mortalitasi and their affiliates, like Murder by Death Mages which features a plot to assassinate a member of Nevarra's line of succession. While BioWare has assured players that they don't need to have played the previous Dragon Age games to understand Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, the established lore will undoubtedly come in handy.

This approach does clear the way for new elements that haven't really featured in the games before, like the Mortalitasi. With the release of Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, the developer may be giving gamers a look into what the next game will explore, and given how many stories the Mortalitasi are in, it makes sense that they'll feature too. With potential Mortalitasi characters, quests, and even a companion, the death mages would definitely make an interesting addition to the already vibrant and diverse world of Thedas.

Although some fans are hoping that specializations are race specific to add another layer to the roleplay, a Mortalitasi mage specialization could be really fun as players summon skeletal helpers or dabble in a light bit of necromancy. Dorian, one of the mage companions in Dragon Age: Inquisition, did have necromantic powers once he was able to specialize, but there are so many cool directions that a proper affiliation with the Mortalitasi could take the protagonist if they were able to utilize some of their abilities.

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Potential New Companions

Tal'Vashoth Qunari Warrior

Similar to other BioWare RPGs like the Mass Effect series, companions are an integral part of Dragon Age games. Not only do they provide a lot of humor and heart in the gameplay, but they can also be key components of the overall narrative. Players can forge strong bonds of friendship with their companion characters or even romance a few of them, helping to develop their protagonist and progress the story. In the past, Dragon Age has had some memorable companions, like the smooth-talking dwarf Varric, the sarcastic secret noble Alistair, or the kindhearted Chantry Seeker Cassandra, and fans are hoping Dragon Age: Dreadwolf brings its own cast of compelling characters too.

While companions haven't yet been confirmed for the next entry, there have been some hints in concept art and behind-the-scenes clips that might contain a few clues. Given the prominence of a white-haired qunari in images that players have seen of the game so far, there's a strong possibility that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf might feature a female from the mysterious horned race in the player's team for the very first time. Considering how popular characters like Iron Bull are, this seems like a smart move.

In addition to a female qunari, gamers may be able to recruit a dwarven mage after the events of The Descent DLC for Dragon Age: Inquisition, which hinted at dwarf magic users. Another unique companion that has been featured in the concept art is a curious figure with a glowing face. Some have theorized that this could be a Mortalitasi character, which would not only offer a completely new companion but would also be a great way for players to learn more about the secretive group.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is in development.

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