Highlights
- Avowed's connection to the Pillars of Eternity universe could allow the god Galawain to have a significant role in the game.
- Galawain is described as the patron of the hunt and protector of the wilderness in the Pillars of Eternity games, making him well-suited for the untamed region of The Living Lands in Avowed.
- Galawain's involvement in previous games and his role in creating predatory creatures suggests that he may be linked to the game's plot involving a disease of the soul, possibly as an experiment gone wrong.
Originally announced in 2020, it was quickly revealed that Avowed would be part of the Pillars of Eternity universe. The first two games in the series were funded through successful Kickstarter campaigns and helped save Obsidian Entertainment from ruin. Additionally, the first two installments were CRPGs before the franchise moved to the AAA gaming space. Because of the connection to PoE's world, it's possible that one God in the Avowed universe could be more prominent than others: Galawain.
Avowed has several gods in its fantasy universe. Like other pantheons of various mythologies, each god fills specific and sometimes vague roles to explain away things that happen in the world. Their actual origins, however, are unconventional and ultimately tie into the first game's biggest twists. There are a few reasons why Galawain in particular is likely to show up in the next game.
Who Is Galawain In Avowed and Pillars of Eternity?
Galawain is one of many gods originally introduced in the Pillars of Eternity games. The god is described as the patron of the hunt in all of its forms, and he is also the protector of the wilderness where hunting is manifested in its purest form as a daily struggle for survival. Generally, he admires cleverness and overall encourages a survival of the fittest mindset. Like other mythological pantheons, his importance is dependent on what part of the world a person inhabits.
In the first game, he is mostly mentioned as a god who exists in the world and has a role in a companion side quest. During the game's final quest, he is one of the gods players can get favor from in order for them to complete the game's final quest. In exchange, he asks the player to use the souls that they will have at their command to strengthen the Dyrwood. In the second game, he interacts with the player a bit more. He plays a larger role in the game's main plot and seems to be okay with whatever Eothas was up to. He also played a role in a number of side missions as well, but given the nature of Avowed, it is possible that he may play an even bigger role in the upcoming game.
Why Galawain Might Be Prominent In Avowed
The majority of Avowed appears to be taking place in The Living Lands; a region that hadn't been explored in previous games. The area is described as a land that is wild and untamed full of all kinds of different animals and plant life that would seem alien in other regions of the world. Based on Galawain's personality, it only seems logical that he would be a big fan of this particular region.
In addition, it is possible that the main story of the game might have something to do with Galawain. The main gameplay trailer for Avowed also revealed a bit about the game's plot, specifically that it involved some kind of disease of the soul and the source hasn't been revealed. However, the god does create new predatory animals and releases them out into the world and sometimes uses the characteristics and souls of his most devoted followers in these creatures. It is also possible that this disease is one of his creations and/or experiments gone horribly wrong.
In the end, it's hard to say what the game has planned in terms of what gods will be involved in the story. Assuming that it takes place further in the timeline, Avowed will have to address Pillars of Eternity 2's ending, and perhaps that will tie into it. Given Gawlawain's nature, however, it remains likely that he will play some sort of role in the untamed wild of The Living Lands. How big a role and whether he will help or be a hindrance to the player remains to be seen, though.
Avowed releases in 2024 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.