So will we be getting Varric back? Plus good news about dorian.

It depends first what deaths do you mean? Optional (like Trespasser´s Iron Bull), deaths that every player gets or both?

If someone chooses to let the chargers die then their opinion is invalid.

The only way I'd be okay with Dorian's death is if it's a Rogue One type ending where most of the cast just goes off to this suicide mission, including Dorian.

I have a strong feeling Varric is going to die. Why else would they bring him back for the third run? He was already supposed to die in DA2's canceled expansion and they're also bringing the idol back so it seems like DA4 will really wrap his story up. And he never wanted to be a politician so it makes from that point of view too for him to die heroically rather than have to deal with Bran and endless paperwork for the rest of his life.

Someone mentioned Calpernia and I agree with that. If they're bringing her back there needs to be a murder knife option. She could also start as a companion and then later be revealed that she actually still works for the Venatori. From enemies to friends to enemies again. That would be a nice character arc for her. 

Velanna probably wouldn't join the Wardens any more than Merrill would. She knows the same stories of the Dread Wolf. More importantly, Solas dislikes Grey Wardens.

I still wouldn't be okay with it, because there's dozens of other straight characters they haven't killed throughout the series. Killing a bunch now doesn't even out the death of the only gay man.

Similarly, Game of Thrones isn't off the hook for killing its three gay men just because it killed a lot of straight people. A lot of straight people also survived, and in a broader media context, the percentage of gay characters that suffer and die is way higher than the number of straight characters who do. The vast, vast majority of straight characters get happy endings.

the two aren't that exclusive. If there is one thing Mythal is good at...is dying.

Heh, I like a friendly familiar face as much as the next guy, so I'm agreeing with that point

However, we're likely going to play a different protagonist again, and I personally just don't like having to pretend that I don't know Varric and "get to know him" all over again. It gets a bit repetitive. "Tell me about the champion". "Tell me about the Inquisitor". I'd rather not.

So far, returning characters (Varric, Cassandra, Zevran etc) had new character models done for them anyway, probably simply because so many years pass between the various Dragon Age games that a re-export of the old assets simply wouldn't do anymore. They do save a bit of time because the character's design is already established though, that's true.

If they really kill Varric I'll never trust any of their epilogues again. "He then became viscount of Kirkwall BUT ONLY for the two years or so that passed between DAI and DA4". Not saying that it won't happen, but jeez, they need to learn to let a character and his/her storyline go. Just like we need to learn to let our old protagonists go.

Velanna is slowing dying to the taint. So is her sister if she isn't dead already. Solas' agents says this is all the fault of the humans and the way the current world is set up. Join us and he will restore the world to how it should be, the world of the elves. I can see Velanna buying that.

I don't know if you can say the Dalish in Tevinter Nights were knowingly on Fen'Hare's side so far as I can recall (unfortunately my copy is packed away pending a house move at present so can't check). There was one who went looking for the idol in response to a dream he had. The others involved in that story were definitely hinted as not being Dalish, owing to having a different accent and better armour.

There are apparently a whole bunch of Dalish who have moved up to the Arlathan Forest but without any explanation as for why. I don't buy the idea of Strife being a city elf who joined the Dalish. For a start off, why does he not have vallaslin after so many years with them? So there is the possibility that agents of Solas have infiltrated the Dalish, just as Felassan did, in order to manipulate them into doing their dirty work without actually admitting to who they are really working for. May be they just encourage the idea that this is in order to establish a new elven homeland or simply a fight back against the humans. There seems some suggestion of the agents of Solas actually believing this themselves.

So it is entirely possible that the Dalish are working for Solas without actually knowing his true identity, having been recruited via intermediaries. Or may be they are so desperate for a better future that they are even willing to believe Fen'Harel will give this to them. The Dalish seem a diverse bunch. Whilst some might never trust him and some would see through his rhetoric, there are probably some who would sign up regardless of his previous reputation. After all, he succeeded in persuading enough elves to join him the first time round, only for them to realise their mistake as the world literally dropped out from under their feet.

It has just occurred to me that you have to take into account new players. For them neither of these will have the same clout as those familiar with them from previous games. It is possible they will attempt to build a connection with newcomers but it seems more likely they would choose to do this with a new character, or more than one, particular a love interest, so the emotional impact will be the same whether you have played before or not.   I know this could also be said to be the case with ME3 but there was not the amount of time between games as there has been between DAI and DA4, so a greater chance that newcomers would opt to play all 3 in the trilogy in order, as I did.   Just a thought.

I may be wrong, but the elf looking up to the idol because of the dream told it so to the Cartha Dwarf, so could easily have been a lie, or just an ommission, since Solas may have given instruction by dream.