Players can unlock a secret ending by completing specific side quests and collecting certain items in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Uncovering the secret ending is like unlocking a hidden doorway to Thedas’ untold mysteries. This article walks you through how to unlock it.
How To Unlock The Secret Ending
To reach the secret ending, start with the Regrets of the Dread Wolf side quest and secure Mythal’s Essence.
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+ 2This quest lets you encounter Mythal, a powerful figure open to sharing her essence.
Select dialogue choices that reflect Mythal’s protective nature and her aversion to the Blight to gain her essence without a fight.
Pick these responses to appeal to Mythal’s views and secure her essence calmly:
- Dialogue: “Or do you simply think yourself ready to fight a god?”
- Response: “I want your help.”
- Dialogue: “It has been centuries since a petitioner stood before me. So, why should I help you?”
- Response: “We must stop the Blight.”
- Dialogue: “And?”
- Response: “You stood against it.”
- Dialogue: “Not bad, but not enough. Let us speak of something else.”
- Response: “We must stop the gods.”
- Dialogue: “Yet the world needs rulers. So set the blight aside and tell me why I should help you topple them.”
- Response: “They wronged you.”
- Dialogue: “If you wish to prove your worth, you must do better than that.”
- Response: “We are worthy.”
- Dialogue: “What is a protector to you?”
- Response: “Building a safe place.”
Otherwise, you'll have to defeat Mythal to acquire the essence. But the way you go about it doesn't matter as long as you possess Mythal’s Essence.
To move forward, find six wolf statuettes scattered around the Crossroads area.
When you’ve got all six statuettes, throw them on the pedestals in the right spot.
This will trigger a hidden interaction with Morrigan, who will guide you toward acquiring Mythal’s spirit.
The next goal for the secret ending is to track down three Mysterious Circles scattered across the game world.
These items can be found in tough spots, usually after completing certain quests or defeating strong enemies:
- Arlathan Forest: You’ll come across a laser puzzle not far from the Waterfront Glades. Four beams need to be aimed at a crystal, opening a bridge to the first Mysterious Circle. Align the beams to summon a guardian and defeat it to access the circle.
- Necropolis Halls: To access the second circle here, complete the Restless Spirits companion quest and the side quest Pinnacle of Its Kind. These quests open the door to the Chamber of the Unforged within Necropolis Halls, where the second circle is found. You’ll also need to fend off enemies within this chamber to collect it.
- Crossroads: The third circle is located on Beacon Island, which you can access after finishing the Heart of Corruption side quest. This task has you taking on powerful champions spread across the region. Each boss you defeat gives you access to the hidden Mysterious Circle.
Now that you've collected Mythal’s Essence, all six wolf statuettes, and the three Mysterious Circles, move on to the final act of The Veilguard.
What’s the Secret Ending?
A unique option will be laid out before the game ends.
click to enlarge + 2This choice opens the secret path, unlocking the The Storm Quelled achievement and a hidden cutscene.
This post-credits scene shows what's to come and ties into earlier Dragon Age narratives.
The scene revisits iconic moments across the series, now framed to suggest that the Executors have been shaping Thedas from behind the scenes.
Key moments from earlier games, such as the Battle of Ostagar, the theft of the lyrium idol in Dragon Age II, and the opening of the Breach in Inquisition, are replayed.
Shadowy figures in the background suggest the Executors' influence on these key moments.
Through a haunting voiceover, an unidentified figure explains that the Executors have worked to “balance and guide” Thedas over the ages. It’s hard to tell what they’re after.
Players wonder if their purpose is to prevent any one power from controlling Thedas or if they have darker goals that align with forces yet unseen.
Codex entries collected during the quest also suggest that the Executors are linked to the Forgotten Ones, ancient elven gods erased from much of history.
These entries also hint that the Executors could be loyal to these fallen deities, who opposed the elven pantheon led by Mythal.
The ending ends with a cryptic symbol (a triangle pointing downward crossed by wavy lines) tied to the Executors in Inquisition and the eerie message, “We come.”
For fans, this post-credits scene ties up loose ends from the series while teasing future conflicts.
It also suggests that Rook, or perhaps a new hero, could face the Executors as their secret plans unravel.
What theories do you have about the Executors’ role in Thedas? Comment down below!
For more articles like this, take a look at our Guides and Dragon Age: The Veilguard page.