Witch Hunters are cool, right? Think of Victor Saltzpyre from Vermintide 2, or any of those grizzly player characters you made for Mordheim. Still no? They’re a fantasy version of a 40K Inquisitor, or close enough. Think Eisenhorn with a flintlock pistol.
For those of you not interested in Warhammer, a Witch Hunter is generally a grizzled old veteran who has dedicated their life to terrorising magical folk across the land. They tend to wield an archaic firearm and an impressive sword. Midway through my first Avowed playthrough, my gentle wizard found himself with a similar loadout. Then I had an idea.
Bending The Rules
My issue was, I wanted to use magic. I know I’ve got a wizard build already, but there are magic swords and magic guns and magic wands and magic spellbooks that I don’t want to miss out on. The crucial problem here is, Witch Hunters tend to hunt witches rather than use their magical items.
So I’m transplanting a 40K Inquisitor into the Avowed universe. Yeah, I’m mixing fantasy and sci-fi settings here. What are you going to do about it?
There’s enough to this idea that it makes sense. 40K Inquisitors are nasty pieces of work, they’re tools of the Emperor who will enact his will with no thought to the cost. Exterminatus an entire planet because you got a whiff of heresy? Fine. Murder an entire city’s billion-strong population because of the presence of cults in the sewers beneath their feet? Sound.
As long as they protect the worlds won in the Great Crusade, the ends justify the means for the Inquisition. Much like the Aedyrans, they would have no qualms in invading the Living Lands, subjugating its people, and installing a despotic regime of ruthless mercenaries to keep the people in line.
Armed with a flaming sword, lightning pistol, and devastating spellbook, my Inquisitor of the Ordo Adyreus was ready to run headfirst at the Living Lands and rule with a brutal fist.
Inquisitor Versus Inquisitor
There’s only one problem with this entire concept, and her name is Lodwyn. Undoubtedly the best-designed character Avowed has to offer, Inquisitor Lodwyn is (or at least seems to be so far) the primary antagonist in the game. How could we justify two Inquisitors in one playthrough? Quite simply, it turns out.
Firstly, I’m not playing an actual Warhammer 40K Inquisitor. While you could come up with some convoluted reason as to why the events of Avowed take place on some world in the 40K universe and the Emperor decided to send a lone Inquisitor to bring it into compliance, I’m not going that deep with my roleplay here.
My character isn’t actually an Inquisitor. I’m just roleplaying a character that thinks, acts, and is designed like one. I’m not Eisenhorn or Greyfax, I’m just a grumpy, trigger-happy bloke with no qualms colonising an entire continent in the name of my lord.
And as for Lodwyn? Personally, I almost admire her. She’s got the iron fists – and a boss suit of armour – that my Inquisitor wishes he could have. I can only hope that, on this quote unquote ‘evil’ playthrough, I can align myself fully. Maybe I’ll supplant her, maybe I’ll be her loyal lapdog forevermore. Who’s to say?
It’s been a while since I last did a completely evil playthrough of an RPG. I tried it with Dark Urge in Baldur’s Gate 3, but didn’t make it into Act 2. The game’s just too big! Avowed, however, is much more manageable, and running through it a couple of times in the busiest month of 2025 when it comes to video game releases is a relative breeze.
On a more serious note, I’m glad that Avowed lets you roleplay to this extent. Being able to play the bad guy (or, at least, a bad guy) isn’t anything new, it’s not groundbreaking, but it shows that there are roleplaying options available. Will I replay Dragon Age: The Veilguard? Never. There might be some big branching decisions that I’m vaguely interested in seeing the other side of, but my character will always be as bland as a school cafeteria sponge cake.
Avowed lets you be a goodie, a baddie, or a say-nothing-at-allie. And those roleplaying opportunities are what make RPGs tick. Now, hand me my pistol, for I’ve got Paradisans to bring into line.
