With its release imminent, fans will soon be able to jump into Avowed and immerse themselves in Eora. Established in developer Obsidian Entertainment’s Pillars of Eternity series, Eora is an expansive land backed by plenty of strong worldbuilding. While the studio’s two previous PoE titles sent players to several of Eora’s regions, there’s plenty left to see. Avowed will have fans embark on a journey to a new part of Eora, The Living Lands, a strange untamed wilderness where a supernatural disease known as the Dreamscourge is affecting the very soul of the Lands and its people.
Although The Living Lands have been alluded to in franchise lore, little else was revealed beyond their existence. Fans will explore them at length as they seek to unravel the mysteries of Dreamscourge in Avowed while encountering the various groups and cultures who call the Lands home. Avowed Area Designer John Cotto spoke with Game Rant about envisioning and creating The Living Lands to make its diverse regions enjoyable to play through, as well as how they connect to the story and themes.
Related
Avowed’s Living Lands Explained
Avowed to set to finally bring the world of Pillars of Eternity into first-person, but its brand-new setting has been always shrouded in mystery.
Avowed Developer On Bringing The Living Lands to Life
Avowed Peels Back the Curtain on The Living Lands
As a place shrouded in myth and mystery, The Living Lands have only been briefly and vaguely mentioned in Pillars of Eternity‘s lore until now. With many details unclear, Cotto stated that “being able to really decide what was fact and what was fiction about this strange continent was a fun challenge.” As he explained:
“Much of the weirdness about the land was rather exaggerated in the tales people told of it, so players familiar with what has been presented about The Living Lands from previous titles may find that the continent is not quite as wild and wacky as may be expected. That isn’t to say it doesn’t have its fair share of mysteries and surprises, though.”
The Living Lands Broaden Eora’s Horizons
Cotto noted that making each of The Living Lands’ regions feel distinct in Avowed was an important focus. Housing many diverse biomes bordering each other, this is reflected in the differences between areas, such as the more calm beaches of Dawnshore or Shatterscarp’s unforgiving deserts. It will also present fans familiar with Eora’s history with new and surprising takes on prior elements:
“Though the continent is rather separated from the rest of the world, fans of the setting may find familiar concepts and cultures presented in new ways. For example, what happens when a group of brilliant animancers goes into self-exile and founds a settlement deep in the wilds of the Living Lands? You’ll just need to play to find out!”
Discussing the size and scope of The Living Lands in Avowed, Cotto stated that each section is relatively comparable. Within this, though, layouts will be noticeably different. One region may be more of an open meadow, while another features sheer cliffs and rocky outcroppings. This helps give locales their own unique identity, keeping them engaging as players visit each.
Finally, though Avowed will welcome players unfamiliar with some of Pillars of Eternity‘s aspects, The Living Lands and its tale will also contain nods for those more well-versed in the franchise. Cotto worked on Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, and described being able to include various aspects and references from both it and the first Pillars as an “absolute delight.” He left off by hinting that:
Fans of the Pillars series may recognize some pretty deep cuts as far as references to characters, places, and events. Some of these are pretty up front, but others are a bit more obscure, and I can’t wait to see what players discover.
Avowed is set to let fans loose in The Living Lands on February 18, inviting players to take in its exotic range of sights and features, discover its secrets, and decide their destiny as they forge a path through the Lands.
- Franchise
-
Pillars of Eternity
- Released
-
February 18, 2025
- Publisher(s)
-
Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
-
Unreal Engine 5
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence