Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed is set to take players deep into the Living Lands, a wild and untamed frontier of Pillars of Eternity's world of Eora. The premise of the title sees the player stepping into the shoes of an envoy of the Aedyr Empire investigating a strange plague afflicting the northern landmass, the mysterious Dreamscourge. A disease that is infecting everything from the fauna to the land itself, this corrupting force has been implied to have a more nuanced presence in the world of Avowed.
As a foundation of the narrative, the Dreamscourge is expected to serve as more than just a disease which can create hostile creatures. Given the developer's statements on the place it will have in the narrative, it seems that Avowed's horrifying Dreamscourge could serve as a political tool for different factions as much as it is a simple affliction that can turn people into undead-like monsters. With possible ties to the greater lore of the IP and the chaos of its divinity, it's still unclear what this plague means beyond what it does to the infected.
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Avowed will face stiff competition when it releases in February 2025, but the game has one big advantage over the other titles releasing in the month.
Understanding the Dreamscourge Plague in the Living Lands of Avowed
The Dreamscourge Appears as a Fungal Infection of Seemingly Magical Origin
According to the Avowed team in an Xbox Wire post, the Dreamscourge is characterized as:
"...a mysterious plague of the soul – as it afflicts people, animals, and even the land itself. No one knows how it spreads, but many have come to recognize and dread the symptoms..."
Progressively devastating, these symptoms begin as mental confusion and hallucinations before further leading to the afflicted feeling "trapped in a waking nightmare". Ultimately, the Dreamscourge completely overtakes the victim's body and turns them into what essentially looks to be a mindless zombie.
Dreamthralls are the Final Stage of the Dreamscourge Plague
As shown in promotional material through instances like an aggressive Bear covered in fungal growths, or a skeletal person shambling about with a similar look, Dreamthralls are the violent result of the plague affecting these lifeforms. This seems undeniably horrific and detrimental initially, but Obsidian has made this aspect of the world into a more controversial topic that isn't seen as unanimously bad by the residents of Avowed's Living Lands and beyond.
Avowed's Dreamscourge is Hinted to Have a Deeper Lore Significance
Conflicting Interests Between Embracing Chaos and Enforcing Order
Following statements on three different perspectives shared by characters in Avowed, it seems that the Dreamscourge will be the topic of differing faction interests. This more complex dynamic is outlined as the protagonist gets sent off by the Aedyr Emperor with the goal of understanding and eradicating the plague. Inquisitor Lodwyn shares a similar goal with an added interest in fighting against the Living lands' factions, and Avowed companion Giatta sees more hopeful potential in the Dreamscourge. This spectrum of priorities seems to imply that this plague could be more than just a typical pathogen inflicting madness upon its victims, despite any benefits not being shown so far.
Possible Connections to the Pantheon of Eora and the Ending of Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire
Eothas' cataclysmic actions at the end of Deadfire, culminating in the destruction of the Wheel, significantly impact the state of souls in Eora. Woedica warned that without the structure of the Wheel and the system of reincarnation built by the gods through it, soulless Hollowborn would become more common, and other soul diseases could rise. With the Dreamscourge literally being called a "plague of the soul", it's rather likely that it could tie into this plot progression from Pillars of Eternity to Avowed.
Avowed
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
- Released
- February 18, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands - an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Franchise
- Pillars of Eternity
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
