Anchor (2024)

The Inquisitor was branded with the Anchor when they picked up Corypheus' Orb of Destruction, immediately before the Conclave explosion. As Corypheus intended to obtain the Anchor himself, in order to control the Breach he had created, he begins pursuing the Inquisitor in hopes of reclaiming it. During the battle of Haven, Corypheus attempts to remove the Anchor but discovers that it is permanently bound to the Inquisitor, and resolves to kill them instead. The Inquisitor's Mark of the Rift power awakens shortly thereafter.

As the Inquisition war council assembles, Cassandra and Leliana suggest approaching the rebel mages for help with the Breach, since they are told by Solas that the Anchor requires the same level of power to create the Breach to completely seal the Breach—power that they believe the rebel mages can provide. Cullen disagrees, suggesting recruiting the templars instead, fearing that pouring too much magic into the Inquisitor's mark may destroy them all; he also believes that the templars' ability to suppress the Breach can suffice in sealing it. Leliana however, argues that his hypothesis about the templars' capability is speculation.

Towards this end, the Inquisitor can recruit either theTemplar Orderto suppress it or theRebelMagesto increase the power of the Anchor. Their efforts to seal the Breach are eventually successful, leaving a scar in the sky.

While exploring the Frostback Basin, the Inquisitor finds the final resting place of the ancient elven mage Telana, protected by an impenetrable barrier. After removing it, the Inquisitor learns to project a similar barrier using the Anchor: Aegis of the Rift.

When Corypheus' army was decimated and his attempts to acquire an eluvian to enter the Fade were thwarted, he created a larger, more powerful Breach to lure the Inquisitor into an ambush—knowing that the Inquisitor alone could close it and that failing to come would doom all of Thedas. After a grueling battle, the Inquisitor used the Anchor to rip the Orb of Destruction from Corypheus' grasp and uses the Anchor—in conjunction with the Orb—to seal the Breach forever. While the Orb is broken in the process, the Anchor remains on their hand. The Inquisitor then uses their mark to open a Fade rift inside Corypheus and watches as he disintegrates.

Two years after Corypheus' defeat, the Anchor continues to trouble the Inquisitor, causing them excruciating pain at random times. As they explore the Elven Mountain Ruins, the Anchor begins to build up energy on its own, allowing them to discharge it at will to protect their allies and to damage enemies.

However, within a few days, the Inquisitor's control over the Anchor begins to slip, as it starts to discharge itself on its own, harming everyone nearby. Solas, the original owner of the Orb of Destruction and the Anchor, can wrangle the mark under control. When the Inquisitor finally reaches Solas, the Anchor once again flares up, causing them great pain, and they drop to their knees. Solas approaches them and calms down the Anchor with a spell so that they can have a conversation. Solas explains that the mark would eventually kill the Inquisitor; he was the only one who could've carried the Anchor and survived it. The Inquisitor says that the mark is getting worse. At the end of the conversation, Solas grasps the Inquisitor's arm and casts another spell. When he exits through the eluvian, the Inquisitor's left arm is still attached to their body, but black particles can be seen flaking off of it. In the following scene, the Inquisitor enters the Exalted Council with their arm amputated at the elbow.

• According to writer Patrick Weekes, Solas removes the Anchor, but the arm that carried it is beyond saving at that point.^[1] Weekes also replied "yes" when asked if Solas removes the Inquisitor's arm;^[2] however, as shown in the cutscene, Solas doesn't remove the arm physically. Weekes later confirmed that Solas "doesn't necessarily rip [the arm] off", and that given the Anchor's impact, the Inquisitor may not have had much of the arm left to lose.^[3] Lead cinematic designer for DAI DLC, John Epler, said that while they haven't delved into the specifics of it the game, he imagines that Solas "collapsed the Fade energy that had started to poison [the Inqusitor's] arm - and that meant taking that part of [the] arm away."^[4]

Concept art from The Art of Dragon Age: Inquisition