In crafting a captivating fantasy tale, achieving a delicate balance with the lore is crucial. A good story needs enough world-building to create a vibrant, immersive world populated by a diverse cast of characters. However, it’s equally important to avoid overwhelming the main narrative with complex lore that’s not essential. Avowed manages this balancing act quite well.
For Obsidian, the task of incorporating Avowed’s lore must have felt like both a blessing and a challenge. The world of Eora had already been richly developed through the Pillars of Eternity series, defining its foundation. However, Avowed aimed to present itself as an independent journey, requiring the existing lore to be distilled into digestible and engaging pieces, while still catering to long-time fans of Pillars of Eternity. As a result, Avowed provides a strong overview of the franchise’s pivotal lore elements, yet there’s often more depth available, much like with "Berath’s Wheel."
The Lore of Avowed’s Berath’s Wheel Explained
What is Berath’s Wheel?
In Eora, the world of Avowed, life and death take on a unique cycle. When a person dies, their soul departs their physical form and heads to the nearest pillar of Adra. These crystal-like structures serve as conduits, channeling souls into The Beyond, the realm where gods dwell. Souls remain in this ethereal plane until a new physical form is ready for them back in the living world. Once reincarnated, individuals typically recall nothing of their past existences.
This cycle repeats with death and rebirth, hence the term "The Wheel." The god Berath, who governs both life and death, is believed to oversee this process, thus it is coined "Berath’s Wheel."
Watchers, characters within this universe, have the ability to see past lives.
There’s More to Berath’s Wheel Than Meets The Eye
What seems like a naturally occurring cycle had been tampered with long before the events of Avowed. About two millennia before Avowed and Pillars of Eternity take place, the Engwithans, an ancient civilization, acquired the power to manipulate soul energy, or Essence.
With soul afflictions becoming more common due to disruptions in The Wheel’s natural rhythm, the Engwithans, alongside the Huana tribes, constructed a colossal machine in the city of Ukaizo to help regulate the reincarnation process.
This technological marvel elevated the Engwithans to godhood. Eothas became the deity of renewal and illumination, tasked with steering souls to and from The Beyond. Meanwhile, Berath was appointed as the custodian of life, death, and cycles, responsible for upholding this new version of The Wheel. This soul movement left behind Essence, which the gods used for sustenance.
Berath’s Wheel is Broken in Pillars of Eternity 2
In the conclusion of Pillars of Eternity 2, players unveil that Berath’s Wheel isn’t as natural as perceived. Various endings are possible, but the canonical outcome sees Eothas destroying the Engwithan machine, reestablishing The Wheel’s original state. It’s uncertain how this action will influence reincarnation, though any effects may not become apparent for a few generations.
