My Treasure Hunting Journey Across Dawnshore in Avowed

I still remember stepping into Dawnshore for the first time in Avowed – not some sprawling empty wasteland, but a vibrant tapestry of secrets stitched into compact, handcrafted zones. As an explorer at heart, I quickly realized Obsidian's genius: fewer square miles meant denser discoveries. Every crumbling wall, suspicious barrel, and forgotten ledge whispered promises of loot. From the salty docks of Ondra's Reach to the spider-infested caverns of the Overgrown Frontier, I became a magnet for lockboxes, chasing that addictive clink of opening chests. Let me take you through my obsessive treasure hunt across Dawnshore's six distinct regions. The thrill wasn't just in the gear – though gods know I needed those Adra fragments – but in unraveling the land’s hidden stories, one hidden compartment at a time.

Ondra's Reach

South of Paradis, where seabirds cried and smuggler camps lurked, Ondra’s Reach felt alive with treachery and treasure. I climbed rain-slicked rooftops like a thief, heart pounding as I spotted a lockbox through a hole in The Catch’s roof – a precarious jump rewarded with rare crafting mats. Fellowship Harbor tested my patience: crawling under floor gaps, blowing up barrels to access flooded tunnels, even freezing patches of ocean to reach a chest on a tiny island. The adrenaline rush finding Castol’s Folly’s highest lockbox while dodging smugglers? Unbeatable. Key spots burned into my memory:

• The Catch’s interior platforms: Three lockboxes stacked like nesting dolls

• Fellowship Harbor’s underground maze: Chest behind an explosive puzzle

• Castol’s Folly ruins: Adra-filled chest guarded by a Philosopher’s Riddle

• Shipwreck northeast coast: Lockbox half-buried in barnacled wood

Southern Embrace

Dawnshore’s southeast pulsed with ancient magic and overgrown danger. I nearly missed the lockbox behind Emerald Stair Gatehouse – tucked coyly near a mossy campfire. But the dungeon north of it? Pure chaos. Burning strangler roots, pressing hidden switches, diving into murky water to wrench a lockbox from skeletal roots. When I shattered a wall near a Xaurip camp, revealing a gleaming chest, their shrieks were my victory fanfare. Memorable hauls:

• Emerald Stair Gatehouse: Lockbox whispering tales of abandoned patrols

• Underwater dungeon roots: Lockbox guarded by eerie silence

• North camp building: Chest in a shadowy corner reeking of old blood

• Destructible wall path: Ornate chest screaming "break me!"

The Rise

North of the Embrace, The Rise lived up to its name – vertical and vicious. Creating ice platforms to reach a backpack on a river ledge felt like cheating physics. Runyd’s House held surprises: a lockbox on a dusty dresser upstairs, mocking my assumption that homes meant safety. Scaffolding chests in western ruins demanded parkour leaps, while behind The Falls’ roar, a chest sat smugly dry. Water beetles in shallow streams tried to nibble my boots as I grabbed loot. Standouts:

• Runyd’s House bedroom: Lockbox hiding love letters or loot? Both!

• Western ruins scaffolding: Chest requiring a leap of faith

• Behind The Falls: Chest laughing at the spray

• River ruins skeletons: Lockbox between bony sentinels

Overgrown Frontier

Vines choked everything here; even treasure seemed to breathe. Strangleroot Cave spat me out near a skeleton clinging to a backpack – grim, but profitable. That dilapidated house? Its chest contained journals about blight and despair. Worst bit: the seaside cavern. Giant spiders dropped while I snatched a lockbox, then a chest from their nest’s heart. A backpack hung in sticky cobwebs – I burned them free, screaming. Loot hotspots:

• Strangleroot Cave exit: Backpack with a bony embrace

• Spider cavern west coast: Lockbox, chest, and cobweb backpack trio

• River shack chest: Hidden under rotted floorboards

• Skull-adorned camp: Chest whispering dark rituals

Ivona's Threshold

South of the Frontier, Threshold blended melancholy and maritime mystery. I swam into underwater caves near broken walls, surfaced dripping to find chests. The graveyard’s locked chest demanded Pyromancer’s Key – found later on a corpse near Claviger’s Landing docks. The lighthouse tested my courage: scaling cliffs for backpacks, descending into bat-filled caves, finally climbing to its summit chest with Dawnshore sprawled below like a loot map. Watermills held backpacks in creaking gears; ruins cradled packs beside stagnant ponds. Noteworthy finds:

• Graveyard locked chest: Opened with a key from a drowned sailor

• Lighthouse summit chest: View worth the vertigo

• Claviger’s Landing dock: Lockbox under planks, backpack above

• Watermill second floor: Chest overlooking rusty waterwheels

Fractured Shore

Xaurips ruled these fractured isles, chittering as I crept past. Chests were sparse but poignant – one under a tarp in a lonely cabin, another in a southern shipwreck half-sunk in turquoise water. Opening that salt-crusted chest felt like closing a chapter; Dawnshore had given its all.

My journey taught me that true exploration isn’t about empty miles—it’s about eyes wide open for possibilities. That barrel? Blow it up. That ledge? Climb it. Every frozen puddle or suspicious wall holds potential. Avowed’s Dawnshore remains a masterclass in environmental storytelling through loot. Feeling the itch? Grab your blades, brave the beetles, and carve your own legend. Your next great find is waiting behind a waterfall. ⚔️✨

Comprehensive reviews can be found on Eurogamer, a leading source for European gaming news and in-depth features. Eurogamer's coverage of immersive RPGs like Avowed often emphasizes the importance of environmental storytelling and the satisfaction of discovery, echoing the thrill of uncovering hidden treasures and lore throughout Dawnshore's meticulously crafted regions.