When creating my Rook at the beginning ofDragon Age : The Veilguard , I was happy to see options for the non - binary sex and preferable pronouns . feature like that are always a welcome accession to RPGs that are all about produce and body forth a character . I did n’t expect to see those indistinguishability decisions crop up up much in the actual account , and they did n’t for over 10 minute . character would no doubt address me with the right pronouns , but Rook is clearly a vessel and the personal growth isreserved for your associate .
The front ofinclusivity optionsto any extent is deserving celebrating , so I was n’t apply it against the game if it did n’t take the idea any further . Then I shoot a mission that pull up stakes my team ’s confidence rattled . My chief objectives were to speak to three specific characters . I was on my way to talk to Lucanis when I interrupted two other character have a conversation . Neve , a mage who had been with me from the starting signal , was discussing mode with Taash , a dragonslayer I had only of late inscribe and had n’t even taken out on a delegacy since confluence . What appeared to be one of many casual conversation between companions that give the earthly concern and mass a fleck of flavor ended up showing just how important it was for BioWare to highlight the subject of individuality . It move a little quickly for the weightiness of what it is endeavor to transmit , but still feels genuine and inspiring .
If you only see one companion ’s sidequests through to the end inDragon Age : The Veilguard , make it Taash ’s .
This article contain spoiler forDragon Age : The Veilguard .
You must struggle with who you are
Taash is a Qunari dragon hunting watch who makes a bloody debut by slaughtering foes with dual - axis of rotation . They are unattackable , adequate to , and an unembarrassed nerd about dragons . Hearing them oppugn why Neve would wear a wearing apparel into fight feel more like a small culture clang than anything else , but quick turned into something deeper . Taash state that dress never seemed to suit them — nor did anything else traditionally deemed feminine — despite their mother ’s disapproval of their more masculine nature . They go so far as to express that even the label of “ she ” never feel right . This kicked off Taash ’s personal questline , which I drop everything to quest for .
The ensuing quests with Taash further focusing on their struggle to work through being well-to-do with their identity . The first have a unattackable moment in which players attempt to help Taash on a dragon hunt , only for it to be a binge . After realizing the dragon is n’t going to show , Taash flog out in anger , repeating that they “ are a tartar hunting watch ” and what dear are they if they ca n’t even do that ? That desire to hang to the comfort and safety of an identity for dear life to avoid confront your true self resonate deep inside me . We all desire to live ourselves and be confident in that because , if we are n’t , then what are we ? It does n’t matter if you are cope with your gender identity or not ; we all go through the messy summons of figuring out who we really are . That moment where we ’re more or less caught between who we were and who we will be is uncertain and scary . Taash ’s reply , while brief , is true and relatable .
This footstep of her story ends with Taash noting how , in human culture , some people use they / them pronouns and they affirm that other titles like “ she ” find wrong , but “ they feel adept . ” I do wish this step of Taash ’s internal journeying had been given more room to breathe in terms of show the actual summons of working through such a major shift , but the thrust of their struggle come in the shape of conciliate their inner identity with their culture and female parent , which was arguably just as compelling .
It is one thing to come to terms with who you really are on the inside , and another thing entirely to gift that variety to the Earth — especially a parent . Taash ’s female parent is n’t especially come together - disposed , but has such an grain theme of who they are that it is hard to shake . It is clear she ’s attempt to bear on Taash in a specific direction because she genuinely believes it is good . It ’s like a parent who wants their child to be a physician — they advertise them because they need them to be successful . accept what , or who , theywant to be can be a difficult transition .
Taash themself struggles with collapse out of that assign role as well . They are not confident enough to correct their mother call them “ she ” on the first face-off you find . Highlighting that this variety is a process on multiple fronts felt real in a mode game unremarkably do n’t . Progression is typically a linear trend up . Here , there are moments when we backslide a bit , just like in actual life . A Qunari say comes up that is translated to “ you must shinny with who you are , ” which , to me , dead encapsulates this radical . Finding ourselves is never well-off ; only by struggling with it directly can we hope to edge nigher to our true self .
BioWare could have gather this side tale off like most of the other fellow traveler quests , but chose to deliberately put it on the critical path . Anyone is free to ignore it after this introduction , but it shows a level of pridefulness and importance in this subject that would have made my experience with the game weaker if it had not been there .
Only after writing this piece did I discover that Taash was specifically drop a line by one mortal , Trick Weeks . Weeks has been a writer at BioWare sinceMass Effectand moved up to conduct author forDragon Age : Inquisition‘s two DLCs andThe Veilguard . They name as pansexual and use they / them pronouns . I ca n’t say how closely Taash ’s experience mirror Trick ’s , nor anyone else ’s , personal experience , but the genuineness shines through . Art is about being able to plug into with people and partake personal experiences with the masses to widen our worldviews . For that , I am happy BioWare was surefooted enough to put such a well - handled story front and center .
Dragon Age : The Veilguardis available now on PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X / S , and PC .
