Avowed offers players a lot of hard choices, and the main story quest “Shadows of the Past” is a good example. During the quest, the players undergo several trials to make their way through the ruins of Naku Kubel and speak with Sadapal through an Adra Pillar inside the ruins. At the conclusion of the quest, players will be asked to choose between two ways to deal with the ruins and the Dreamthralls inside: have Archmage Ryngrim cut off the region’s adra network from the Living Lands, or have Inquisitor Lödwyn destroy the ruins.

Choices in Avowed are often not black and white, so it can be difficult to know which path to take. Both routes have unique consequences, so there is no easy win here. Ultimately, a player’s choice will come down to what they think is best based on the choices they have made in the game up until this point. Shadows of the Past takes place in the third region of Avowed‘s map, so players will have a pretty well-defined path and personality for their Envoy. That said, knowing the results of each path can make the decision easier.

What Happens If You Side With Inquisitor Lödwyn & Destroy The Ruins

Destroying The Ruins Will Allow The Dreamscourge To Spread To Thirdborn

Inquisitor Lödwyn’s solution to the issue at Naku Kubel is not too surprising given her tendencies in both Avowed and Pillars of Eternity 2. Siding with the leader of the Steel Garrote means allowing her to destroy the ruins. Inquisitor Lödwyn also offers this solution as a sign that the Envoy will join her in her quest to destroy both the Dreamscourge and Sapadal. Although this choice does not lock players into always agreeing with Lödwyn in the future, choosing to side with her here is presented as a turning point in the Envoy’s relationship with her.

Once the ruins are destroyed, the Dreamscourge will continue to spread to Thirdborn. As seen earlier in the game, Dreamscourge infections can lead to slow painful deaths and outbursts of violence from those suffering from it. Therefore, taking this route will mean dooming some citizens of Thirborn to a pretty nasty fate. This choice isn’t just story-related, however, and what players choose to do here will also determine what new ability they get from the quest.

New abilities gained from “Shadows of the Past” are partially tied to whether players accept or reject Sadpal’s offer earlier in the quest. Rejecting the offer will always unlock Godlike’s Will, which grants a bonus ability point for the skill tree. However, if the offer is accepted, the power gained varies depending on the choice made at the end of the quest.

If the Envoy sides with Inquisitor Lödwyn and destroys the ruins, they gain the Scion of the Immortal Land ability. This is an active skill that increases the Envoy’s damage output and makes their health regenerate. The skill costs 30 Essence to activate and lasts for 12 seconds, then it has a 60-second cooldown before it can be used again.

What Happens If You Side With Ryngrim & Sever The Adra

Severing The Adra Stops The Spread Of The Dreamscourge

Archmage Ryngrim is a less contentious character to work with than Inquisitor Lödwyn, but that doesn’t mean her solution is completely without downsides. Having Ryngrim sever Shatterscarp’s adra network from the rest of the Living Lands is no small feat, and it requires a huge amount of Essence to pull off. Essence is tied to souls, so using the amount needed to sever the adra will also mean draining the life force from people in the nearby city of Thirdborn.

Choosing to side with Ryngrim will result in a large number of deaths in Thirdbord. Dead bodies will litter the ground in the Shatterscarp region as a reminder of the decision the Envoy made here. However, severing the adra will also stop the spread of the Dreamscourge in Thirdborn. This means that, while many will die immediately, there will be no unfortunate long-term results of allowing the plague to continue to spread throughout the region.

In terms of abilities the Envoy gains, choosing to side with Ryngrim after accepting Sadapal’s offer will grant the Severed Branch ability. Severed Branch is an active skill that costs 30 Essence and grants the Envoy maximum Move Speed. The ability lasts for 20 seconds and has a cooldown of 60 seconds. With the results of both choices in mind, one ultimately stands out as the better one to make during “Shadows of the Past.”

Why You Should Side With Ryngrim & Sever The Adra

Stopping The Spread Of The Dreamscourge Will Ultimately Save More Lives

Although there is no one right answer here, from a role-playing standpoint, siding with Archmage Ryngrim and allowing her to sever the adra seems to be the most beneficial move. Although the immediate death toll is not something to be ignored, it does also put an end to the region’s suffering. The potential death toll from allowing the Dreamscourge to continue in the region could be higher, and the resultant deaths would likely be much less peaceful than immediately having one’s soul snuffed out through the use of a spell.

From a mechanical standpoint, the choice is a bit harder here if the Envoy has accepted Sadapal’s offer. Scion of the Immortal Land can be a hard ability to pass up. Increased damage and health regeneration can be a big swing in battle. While increased movement speed isn’t bad, the benefits from Severed Branch are a lot more on the player to make work in their favor, whereas Scion of the Immortal Land’s buffs always have a big effect on a fight.

Fighters are especially likely to benefit more from the health regen than the movement speed.

Like many of the choices in Avowed, it’s hard to say there is one right answer to the question posed in “Shadows of the Past.” Some players will ultimately side with Inquisitor Lödwyn, whether because they want to try working with her and the Steel Garrote or because they are more interested in mechanical benefits and prefer Scion of the Immortal Land. That said, when looking at the decision from a role-playing standpoint, siding with Archmage Ryngrim seems to be the choice that does the least harm and is a better fate for the Living Lands in Avowed.