One of the many reprehensible things about DATV is the character of the Necromancer from Neverra Emmrich Volkarin. I find whomever wrote them to be as troublesome in nature to fathom such a character who is painted and presented in a positive and heroic light rather than what the character actually is: predatory, immature, and opportunistic. He would have made a far better villain than Hezenkoss.
We have a middle aged man, very wealthy, and obsessed with his own fear of death, which comes a traumatic childhood of losing his parents, and that fear only gets worse with ageing. His character being some representative banner for a canonically age gap relationship with Rook would not be a problem if his character wasn't a predator. Hezenkoss questions the relationship in her skull form, and while it is meant to be comedic, it falls flat because of the type of character he is: a middle aged, cis-white man with a complex given the only fleshed out romance in a video game and it is accepted as perfectly normal and a positive. One cannot throw the veil of a generic upper class British accent with the art style and mannerisms of a character blatantly inspired by that revolting wizard book series, paint them as a hero and call it a day.
Here is a man with man servant who he treats like a child. He encourages Rook and the rest of the Veilguard members to treat like a child. And no, the white-washed excuse of the "Curiosity Spirit wishes to learn and gain a corporal form thus "chooses its' own skull"" does not make it better. The label of consenting to do domestic labour only in the final act of Volkarin's personal quest Manfred acts on his own free will and, without spoiling it, saves the day. Volkarin then proudly declares "he disobeyed me beautifully." How kind of the Master to be so understanding of his "child" manservant disobeying him. It is painted as a wholesome yet sad moment, when in reality it is rather nauseating, because such dialogue states Manfred was never free, and why would a spirit choose to be bound in order to learn? Why still was it treated like a child, the first I have ever seen in the Dragon Age series for a spirit to be treated like a child. And the wholesomeness presentation of child and manservant in a positive fashion in a 2024 video game. "He even choose his own skull!"
It does not help matters that Volkarin has a fear of death and dying, of which ageing only makes it worse, the unresolved trauma of his parents passing away when he was a chid, and it is never resolved even through lichdom when, if Rook romances him, there will be a moment before the final quest on Tearstone island where an outburst and an argument which goes nowhere and merely highlights just how immature and poorly written Rook is as a character.
Volkarin projects his fears of death onto his partner. It only worsens if he does not become a lich and so nothing is resolved. Once again poorly written and frustrating lack of character development that is to reflect this old man and his young partner, but fear not he and everyone is aware of the age gap, and as such it makes it okay, despite the fact Volkarin is written to treat mostly around him like a quote on quote child, Bellara and her over eagerness, Rook for obvious reasons, Harding in their camping trip planning and how it is used as a gateway to reveal he is a vegetarian. How Taash is the only one who raises surface level problems with him but they are sadly censored by the game, quite literally. I always liked Taash. They deserved better form this game.
Lucanis and Davrin are left aside for whatever reasons, other than Volkarin being nervous because Lucanis gets "paid to kill people" as an Assassin.
The notion Volkarin being against slavery is riddled with contradictions, because he proudly boasts the dead Venatori will make good resurrected slaves and it is painted in a positive light. Slavery, a topic which is brushed aside in Veilguard other than for one quest to make Rook look good, and to be "background filler" in Minrathous. In the same way actual discrimination of elves which has been a theme in all three games and is painted as "isn't this a terrible thing?" is ignored. Now elves are borderline atheists and the Dalish are fine with strangers, even a mage from Teviner.
"We know slavery is bad, obviously, but must be really go into it?" the game states. The problem is slavery is one of the very big themes of evil in the Dragon Age franchise. And yet in this shallow attempt of sanitisation, of which comes across as shallow and masking the deeper problems within.
Whenever I play Veilguard and Volkarin's quests I feel like I am in a parody of Stepford Wives (the 1972 novel minus the well written suspense and psychological horror and criticism of gender roles), and it is only reinforced by Volkarin. This slavishly obedient, docile presentation of a spirit who consenting, the game is very clear on that, just to make sure you don't feel weirded out, right when Manfred disobeying his master is celebrated, rather scolded, and thus that makes it okay. Manfred is a spirit of curiosity who says its' first words! while serving tea, dusting book shelves all in the process of learning, but its' still bound to a master, actually bound as the dialogue of him disobeying by Volkarin reveals, but it's okay because it is consenting so it is not grooming this spirit to follow and serve the whims of his master because out of sheer curiosity and an eagerness to learn will happily serve. Volkarin gets free domestic labour, a child to ease his self imposed loneliness because he cannot find people his own age to hang out with. It is easier with young ones isn't it, so easily impressed and susceptible. But the game insists this is all above board, do not question or scrutinise.
I recall in an Inquisition quest where Solas says spirits are very eager to offer guidance and advice, perhaps even learn a thing or two when called upon, but never is being bound to a master seen as a positive until Veilguard. And due to the lead writer being conflict averse, there is no room or opportunity to even have a debate or a discussion about the subject, unlike the other games, even Inquisition where the subject comes up with Dorian who has his own views of slavery and the Inquisitor can discuss it with them. We do not have this in Veilguard at all.
There is also an argument to be made on why spirits and demons are gendered all of a sudden (Manfred and Spite) after consistently in all three games being without a gender and going by it/its pronouns. But that is not the point of this discussion. Manfred is a boy and Spite is a boy because it just makes things easier.
Volkarin is a middle aged white man with a British accent who is merrily presented as a good mannered parental figure with a manservant who is his, and could become, Rook's child potentially. Manservant and child in the same sentence according to Veilguard is wholesome and to be embraced. You can even decide whether to bring Manfred back so Volkarin can not be lonely but at the cost of lichdom.
The Veilguard version of Solas, declares the spirits speak highly of Volkarin as a further reinforcement the game of his good nature. Here's hoping Solas would have been invited for tea and scones back at Volkarin's house, as we all know Solas loves tea and seeing spirits bound to masters in the name of "learning".
It is ironic Volkarin is the Fade Expert for the group, obviously as a "better alternative version to Solas." Solas was meant to be a villain but never was. Volkarin would have made an excellent morally questionable character with a dozen red flags, but instead it's all above board and fine, a fan favourite no less, which if anything makes it far far worse.
For me Volkarin is the mascot for everything that is wrong with this game, with its' performative activism and total lack of awareness by those in a place of blissful privilege.
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