Avowed is an absolutely massive experience, with a wide range of interesting choices the player will encounter throughout. Very early in the game, players will encounter Ilora, a prisoner held captive in a cell at the starting fort. Whether to free Ilora or not is Avowed's first narrative choice of consequence, and it has two very different outcomes. In this guide, we'll answer whether you should free Ilora, and explain how to free Ilora if that is what you decide.
Where to Find Ilora in Avowed
Ilora is found about two-thirds of the way through Avowed' s first mission. You'll encounter a large bramble that must be burnt away to pass, and you'll encounter her cell as soon as you pass through the door to the left of the brambles.
For someone stuck in a cell, Ilora does not exactly offer the warmest welcome, as she immediately recoils at the sight of the Godlike's facial features.
Ilora's tone – and the fact that she immediately disparages the Godlike for being part of the Adeyran Empire – makes Garryck highly suspicious from the start. He very quickly suggests that Ilora is not telling the truth, and that freeing her is a bad idea.
With this information, you have to decide whether you should free Ilora. She says she has a boat, but Garryck says that smugglers from Paradis are known liars. So, what is the best option?
Should You Free Ilora in Avowed?
Before we get to whether you should free Ilora from the fort jail in Avowed, it is important to state that you should always remember to save as often as possible. Avowed features multiple save slots, so you can save-scum yourself out of a bad decision. Now, we can look at the outcomes of deciding to free – or not to free – Ilora.
Decide to Free Ilora:
If you free Ilora, Garryck will clearly be displeased. At the time of writing, we are not sure of the long-term effects of individual characters disagreeing with the Godlike, but we do know how this situation turns out.
With Ilora free, she will accompany you throughout the remainder of the mission, all the way to her ship. Once you reach Steadman Ralke – the final boss of the first mission – Ilora will use her pistol to help. Having a third member of your party for some of the tougher combat encounters is the main short-term benefit of freeing Ilora.
After the boss fight, Ilora will lead you to her ship. There is a very nice conversation between the Godlike, Ilora, and Garryck, where Garryck admits that he may have been wrong not to trust her. She will sail with you to Paradis, where it seems her part in the story comes to an end.
Decide Not to Free Ilora:
Should you decide not to free Ilora in Avowed, you may think you'll be leaving her to die in her cell. However, this is not the case. When you leave, Ilora will try one last time to convince you to help. If you still decide to leave her, you will continue through the remainder of the mission with Garryck only.
When you reach Steadman Ralke, Ilora will suddenly appear during your conversation. If your Dexterity is at 2 or above, you'll figure out that she was able to pick the locks. It appears at first that you may be able to make amends with certain dialog choices. Unfortunately, this turns out to be wishful thinking. Ilora decides to use her pistol to help Steadman Ralke.
After defeating Ilora and Steadman Ralke, you can loot the Common Pistol off Ilora's body. This seems to be the only real benefit to not releasing Ilora in Avowed. Ilora's ship is still available at the end of the path, and is still ready to sail the Godlike and Garryck to Paradis.
At the time of writing, we are still working through Avowed's main story. Any possible long-term effects of freeing or not freeing Ilora are not clear yet. Should there be further consequences, we will update this guide accordingly.
How to Free Ilora in Avowed
If you decide to free Ilora, you can choose either of the following dialog options at the end of the conversation:
- "Don't worry. I believe you, and I want to help."
- "Let's go find that key, Garryck."
Ilora will share that the key is in the Warden's Room. To reach this area, turn left at the barred door, and you'll see a stack of climbable crates. Remember that the quest marker is not leading you to the key, it's still set to the barrier. At the top of the crates, you'll see a gap that you must jump. After clearing the gap, clear out all the breakable crates to find a lootable backpack and some Copper Skeyt in a bucket.
From the backpack, jump up to the same ledge that the quest marker is leading you to, but instead of turning left, make a right. You'll find an Essence Potion on a dead body, and right next to that, a breakable floor section. Break through the floor and drop into the Warden's Room. On the desk in front of you will be the Interrogation Log.
Reading the log seems to imply that, while Ilora may not be telling you the truth, her reasons may not be as nefarious as Garryck originally thought. It appears that Ilora may be connected to the Paradisan resistance fighting against the Adeyran Empire, which explains most of her behavior. Make sure to loot the large chest in the corner of the room, then collect the key from the wall near the exit.
Before you free Ilora, unlock the cell to the left of hers and crouch under the broken wall to enter the next cell. You'll find Deerskin Gloves on a dead body.
Now that you have the key, you can unlock Ilora's cell. In the end, it seems like freeing her is the best decision, or at least the 'morally correct' choice. You will gain access to the common pistol not too far into Avowed, so the benefits of not freeing her just do not seem worth it.
Avowed
- Released
- February 18, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Franchise
- Pillars of Eternity
- Number of Players
- 1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
