This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Avowed
World-building is an important element for any genre of fiction, but it’s especially vital for fantasy stories. By its very nature, fantasy fiction needs to whisk readers/viewers/players to a whole new world unlike their own, and the best way to make that world feel wholly unique is by giving it some unique history and lore. Avowed‘s world of Eora does just that.
Introduced in 2015’s Pillars of Eternity, Avowed‘s world of Eora immediately stands out from other fantasy settings thanks to its complex and rich world design and lore, which essentially centers around a pantheon of 12 gods. These gods reside in an ethereal realm known as The Beyond, where they pull the strings of Eora’s natural cycles. These gods play a key role in the main narrative of both the Pillars of Eternity series and Avowed.
Related
Comparing Avowed’s Magic Combat to Hogwarts Legacy’s
Hogwarts Legacy raised the bar for magic combat in video games, and arguably, Avowed manages to reach those same heights with its own spellcasting.
All of Eora’s 12 Gods Explained
Abydon
The god of crafting, Abydon is mostly associated with industry, machinery, and craftsmanship. Abydon is often depicted at Magran’s side, being the one to forge the goddess of war’s weapons. The Knights of the Crucible, a faction located in Dyrwood, has dedicated itself to Abydon, honoring the god in its metalwork by always including a band of iron around the right arm of any armor it creates.
Berath
The god of life, death, and cycles, Berath is one of the most important gods in Avowed and Pillars of Eternity. Berath controls a process known as “The Wheel,” where living souls are transported to The Beyond upon the death of their physical bodies, and are reincarnated as something new. Berath is also believed to be the god of gateways.
Eothas
Arguably just as important as Berath, Eothas works alongside the god of cycles to maintain The Wheel. As the god of light, redemption, and renewal, Eothas helps to guide souls to and from The Beyond. Due to his role, many beings believe that worshiping Eothas will influence what body their soul goes to after death.
Galawain
The god of the hunt and the “Father of Monsters,” Galawain is believed to be responsible for the creation of Eora’s more dangerous creatures.
Hylea
The goddess of the sky and creative inspiration, Hylea is often depicted as a colorful figure wrapped in a coat of live birds.
Magran
The aforementioned goddess of war and fire, Magran is often depicted as a strikingly powerful figure, fully armored, wielding large weapons, and set ablaze. Naturally, most of Magran’s most dedicated followers are soldiers, and even her priests are known to carry firearms and explosives.
Ondra
With the head of an angler fish-like creature and the distorted body of a human woman, Ondra is the goddess of the sea. Many beings on Eora believe that Ondra is in love with the moon, and that she frequently tries to jump out of the ocean to embrace it. Ondra’s leap towards the moon is why many believe the tide to rise and fall, and why disasters like tsunamis occur.
Rymrgand
Also known as the “Beast of Winter,” Rymrgand is the god of just about anything that could be categorized as erosion. This means Rymrgand controls disease, famine, and physical decay, among many other things. While Berath is the god of cyclical death and life, Rymrgand focuses purely on the death part, symbolizing the definitive end of existence.
Skaen
Skaen is the god of resentment and secret hatred, and as such has been given the moniker “The Quiet Slave.” Skaen is usually depicted as a ghoul-like figure, with no ears or nose, and with lacerations covering their skin. Skaen is also usually depicted alongside Woedica, cowering in The Burned Queen’s presence.
Wael
One of the more mysterious gods in Eora’s pantheon, Wael is the god of dreams, secrets, illusions, and revelations. Wael’s mystical patronage is often represented by an otherworldly physical form as well, with the god usually being drawn as a cloud of countless eyes.
Woedica
Originally intended to be the ruler of Eora’s pantheon, Woedica was the most powerful god of the bunch, essentially having free rein to control Eora as she pleased. The other gods joined forces to exile Woedica, thus granting her the title “The Burned Queen.” Despite her exile, Woedica remains a powerful goddess of vengeance, law, justice, and memory.
Sapadal
The latest god to join the roster, Sapadal is the goddess of the Living Lands, and the one to have given Avowed‘s player-character their Godlike status.
- Released
-
February 18, 2025
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Publisher(s)
-
Xbox Game Studios