Obsidian stuck to some fantasy conventions for Pillars of Eternity and Avowed because that's what people want: ''I didn't want to completely flip it and say, oh you want to play an elf? F**k you, this isn't your daddy's elf'

Avowed - Ilora speaking to the player — (Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)

Pillars of Eternity might be Obsidian's baby, but the series that most recently spawned Avowed is still inextricably tied to established fantasy fare, particularly D&D and the Forgotten Realms. It's a setting that's closely linked with Obsidian—the studio was founded by Black Isle veterans, after all.

But the decision to include familiar elements, particularly classic fantasy races, wasn't just down to the team's connection to D&D through Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Planescape Torment and Neverwinter Nights; Obsidian was also giving the people what they wanted.

"To be real with you, there's a lot of stuff that we included because people want to see them in fantasy," Obsidian's Josh Sawyer told us at GDC. "I understand there's a benefit to being like, 'Let's turn it on its head', but that's also just one thing you can do, right? Another thing you can do is say, 'OK, well, what if these are aesthetically similar, but for different reasons, or there's like variation, or there's like a different foundation to why they are the way that they are?'"

"We made it as a spiritual successor to Forgotten Realms games, primarily," says Sawyer. "So there are people who are going to come in and they're going to want to make their alt for their dwarf, probably not their halfling, but they have orlans, probably not their half orc, but they have aumaua. And that's the thing: we got the big guys and we got the little guys, but then with those, we can do something different. That is, I don't want to say even necessarily more interesting, but it gives our setting a little more texture, knowing that we have elves and dwarves in the middle."

As a D&D and Baldur's Gate guy, but one who often finds the Forgotten Realms setting overly familiar these days, I enjoyed the 'same but different' vibes offered by Pillars and Avowed. Also, as someone who thinks halflings are rubbish, I particularly appreciate the orlans—Obsidian's weird little gremlins. They're just different enough to stand out, but sort of fulfil a similar role as halflings. So it feels like Obsidian and Sawyer really managed to thread the needle.

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Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.

With contributions from

Ted LitchfieldAssociate Editor

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