Avowed Dawntreader Choice Guide

The Dawntreader quest on Avowed is a central experience that’s brimming with fights, puzzles, and difficult choices. Based on Dawnshore, the quest sees you make your way to the Eothasian Temple, where you are seeking the lost Aedyran Expedition Team. Your journey involves you fighting Xaurips, unscrambling Essence Generator puzzles, and also discovering concealed booty. But the actual challenge arises when you encounter Oracle Sargamis, a Godlike who has a deadly plan to reclaim Eothas. Your last decision, to help or kill him, will decide your rewards and influence the story’s end. 

The “Dawntreader” Quest 

The “Dawntreader” quest begins in the northern part of Dawnshore, near Pilgrim’s Path. This secluded area lies north of Paradis’s northwestern edge. To get there, you can follow the river on the western side of Paradis, then turn inland around the level where “Strangleroot” is marked on the map. As you ascend the hill toward Pilgrim’s Path, you’ll come across a narrow rock corridor guarded by a group of Xaurips. Defeat them and continue through the passage.

Not far ahead, you’ll encounter two NPCs, Kauia and Seegwin, blocking the way. Engage them in conversation and, when prompted, select the dialogue options: “I’d like to see this temple for myself.” and “Don’t make me pull rank on you.” These choices will convince them to let you pass without conflict. Once they step aside, you’ll gain access to the Eothasian Temple, officially beginning the “Dawntreader” quest. Your main objective will be to locate the missing Aedyran Expedition Team inside the temple.

Find the Oracle

As you enter the temple, you’ll encounter the Essence Generator puzzle. If you’ve already explored Dawnshore extensively, you might be familiar with the conduit-like puzzle boxes. Solving it is straightforward, simply throw the Electric Lily Seeds found around the temple at the boxes to activate them.

• If you have a weapon that generates Shock accumulation, you can use it to power up the Essence Generators.
• In the first chamber, you’ll find two Electric Lily Seed plants, which can be used to activate the generator on the wall.
• Look for orange shield symbols in unusual places or above doors. These indicate nearby Essence Generators, often leading to secret rooms and hidden loot.
• Open the first secret chamber in the temple, then proceed along the main path.
• The next chambers involve simple platforming jumps, with small groups of Xaurips along the way.
• Keep an ear out for audio cues as they signal nearby loot caches.
• In one chamber, you’ll find a breakable wall next to a pallet blocking your path. You don’t need to destroy the wall. 
• Instead, break through the pallet and move forward; there’s nothing valuable behind the wall. If curious, turn left after the pallet to find a back entrance to the chamber.
• Later, you’ll find a broken Essence Generator electrifying a pool of water.
• Here, you’ll meet Caedmon, a wounded member of the missing Expedition Team.
• If you give him a potion, he will survive and later reward you at the Aedyran Embassy.

After aiding Caedmon, continue along the main path until you reach a long wooden bridge. Just before the bridge, you’ll face one last Xaurip encounter. Once you cross, you’ll arrive at your next destination, the Oracle Sargamis.

Get the Splinter of Eothas

When you first meet Sargamis, the Oracle, he will initially deny knowing anything about the Expedition Team. However, when you mention that they were searching for a relic, he quickly realizes that they must have been after the Splinter of Eothas. This sudden shift in his response makes it clear that he knows more than he’s letting on.

• Sargamis explains that he needs the relic but cannot bring it himself. He also reveals that the large statue in the room is not a statue but a container for some other use.
• But he does not make clear its planned purpose, and thus his real intent.
• Whether or not you believe Sargamis, retrieving the relic is worth it because it opens up several quest opportunities.
• Travel down the corridor behind his workstations along with the quest marker.
• The path is straightforward, but you’ll have to fight two large groups of Xaurips and spiders.
• Eventually, you’ll reach a large chamber containing the Splinter of Eothas.
• Nearby, there’s a treasure chamber locked by two Essence Generators. The first generator is on the wall inside the relic chamber. The second generator is beneath the main platform, hidden behind a crack in the rear wall.
• After obtaining the relic, prepare for a tough fight against A large group of skeleton enemies: The Godless Executioner, a powerful boss that fights like a skeleton paladin wielding a greatsword; A skeleton priest, which should be taken out first as it continuously heals its allies.
• Once the enemies are defeated, leave the main relic chamber to find the area flooded.
• Look to the left for a plant hanging from a rock, shooting it creates an ice platform leading to an Essence Generator treasure room.
• Keep on the main path until you come to a room with three switches on an easel.
• Avoid the bottom left and center switches, as they are traps. Press the bottom right switch to proceed.

This will open the door to Sargamis’ workshop, where you’ll find the bodies of the Aedyran Expedition Team. It becomes clear that Sargamis killed them to use their essence in powering the large body for Eothas. Collect Gjeda’s journal from a body in the center, then return to confront the Oracle.

Dawntreader Choice

After collecting the Splinter of Eothas and Gjeda’s Journal, it’s time to confront Oracle Sargamis. When you return, Sargamis will try to justify killing the Expedition Team, claiming it was necessary to restore the god Eothas. His plan to “redeem” Eothas stems from the belief that god needs atonement for a past catastrophe that claimed countless lives before the events of Avowed. At this point, you face a major decision: help Sargamis complete his experiment or fight him to claim one of the best weapons in the game.

Helping Sargamis

If you choose to help Sargamis, you’ll need to place the Splinter of Eothas in the construct’s center wheel and pull a lever to release the essence. However, after a dramatic cutscene, it turns out his experiment fails. 

Determined to see it through, Sargamis then suggests that your soul might be the missing piece. If you agree, you’ll step under an animancy machine, triggering a quest prompt to “contemplate your imminent death.” Unfortunately, this leads to an instant game over as the machine kills you. If you try to escape before the process begins, Sargamis turns hostile. 

There is also a possibility to persuade Sargamis to leave the experiment behind, and there is an exclusive dialogue option for Court Auger characters. This route is not truly rewarded or penalized, and Sargamis is able to leave unencumbered in spite of his crimes.

Killing Sargamis

On the other hand, if you choose to kill Sargamis, you can fight him outright or take a more poetic approach. To do the latter, follow the same steps as if helping him: place the Splinter of Eothas, pull the lever, and wait for him to ask for your soul sacrifice. Now, turn the tables and convince him that his soul is needed instead. Choosing the dialogue options:

After dealing with the Oracle, a mysterious voice in your head will ask whether you’d consider giving them the construct’s body when they are freed. The game provides very little context about the consequences of this decision. 

If you agree, it seems like this will play a role later in the story. If you refuse and choose to destroy the body, the voice becomes extremely angry. The long-term effects of this choice are still uncertain, but as more details emerge, they will likely shape future events in the game.