Obsidian is getting ready to send us all on another RPG adventure in Eora, and just like in Pillars of Eternity, this time your Avowed companions are going to play a pretty big role. Avowed will let you collect a crew of adventurers to help you save the Living Lands from the Dream Scourge plague. From what we know, there appear to be four companions in Avowed, all of whom Obsidian has revealed a bit of information about.
Here's some of what we know about Avowed's companions right now:
- You'll bring two companions with you while out exploring
- Companions are "integral to the story" meaning you won't miss recruiting any of them
- We shouldn't expect companion romances because that's not historically been Obsidian's thing
- You'll be able to chat with and listen to banter between companions at your party camp
Kai
Race: Aumaua
Class: Fighter
Voice actor: Brandon Keener
Kai is the first companion you meet, just after Avowed's tutorial. He's one of the Aumaua, the Pillars setting's very distinct oceanic people who you may remember from Pillars of Eternity 2. He was formerly a member of the Rauatai navy who now "relies on skill and speed over bulky defenses." He appears to prefer a sort of swashbuckling setup of pistol and saber as weapons. Also, he's voiced by the same actor as Mass Effect's Garrus Vakarian, instantly certifying Kai as a Good Hang.
Obsidian describes him as "companionable, laid-back, and experienced, the most stable and straightforward of the player's companions and the one you'd vote 'most likely to have a beer with.'"
Giatta
Race: Human
Class: Wizard
Voice actor: Mara Junot
Giatta is a human animancer who lost her parents in a laboratory accident and now carries the "phantasmal focus," the invention that led to their downfall. "She aims to finish their research and leave her mark on the science of souls," Obsidian says. "Her determination is outmatched only by her cheerful defiance to authority."
During an Xbox Games deep dive session, game director Carrie Patel added that Giatta has a very permissive view of the chaos of souls related to the Dream Scourge plague at the center of Avowed's plot. She doesn't want to tame or stamp it out and instead wants to embrace what makes the Living Lands special.
Marius
Race: Dwarf
Class: Ranger"
Voice actor: Scott Whyte
Marius is a hunter from the remote area Solace, a harsh portion of the Living Lands. His background means that he's way more at home out in the wild than with the comforts of civilization.
"Born into one of the most uninhabitable areas in the Living Lands, Marius learned quickly how to survive, and even thrive, in the wilderness, becoming one of the Lands' most sought-after hunters and guides," Obsidian says.
Yatzli
Race: Orlan
Class: Wizard
Voice actor: Anjali Bhimani
Yatzli is a scholar of the Godless, the ancient people who formerly inhabited the Living Lands. Obsidian describes Yatzli as "practically born with a grimoire in hand," and says "just because she's in dusty ruins doesn't mean that she can't adventure in style."
Game director Carrie Patel has described Yatzli as "a little risque in a way that makes her a lot of fun to talk to." Don't get too attached to her flirtatious nature though. One of the first things you'll learn when you meet Yatzli is that she's already got a lover.