The Hollowed City
Where the silence of a thousand stolen souls echoes through the ruins of a forgotten metropolis.
The Hollowed City refers to the tragic transformation of Eora's capital, Dyrwood, into a necrotic wasteland known as Dead Man's Dye, though the term is most poignantly applied to the fate of the city of Eora itself in alternate timelines or specific lore contexts regarding soulless decay. However, within the primary narrative of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and its expansions, this concept is best embodied by the exploration of the Hollowed City of (often conflated with the spiritual void) or more accurately, the questline surrounding the Hollows in the Deadman's Dye region where the soulless dead roam. In the context of fan interpretation and specific quest arcs, 'The Hollowed City' often signifies the journey into the heart of a place stripped of its animancy, where the living must confront the silence left by the absence of souls.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Deadman's Dye; The Hollows
- Primary antagonist
- The Soulless Dead; Animancy Void
- Key figure
- The Witness (Player Character)
- Affiliation
- Independent Investigation
- Status
- Resolved; Explored
- Theme
- Soullessness and Decay
Lore & Background
The history of such places often traces back to ancient experiments or desperate attempts to cheat death, which ultimately resulted in the draining of the populace's souls. In these hollowed ruins, the architecture remains standing but is draped in a perpetual twilight, devoid of the vibrant colors that soul-fire usually brings to the world. Scholars and travelers who venture into these zones often report a profound sense of isolation, as if the city itself has forgotten how to speak. The quest to restore or understand these areas is central to many tales of the Deadfire Archipelago, where the Witness must navigate the moral complexities of reanimating the dead versus allowing them true rest.
Reader's Guide
The quest begins when the Witness discovers anomalies in the local soul currents, leading them to investigate the source of the necrotic decay affecting a specific settlement or region. The primary objective is to locate the focal point of the hollowing, often an ancient relic or a corrupted animancer's laboratory hidden beneath the city ruins. Players must navigate through areas infested with soulless constructs and avoid being drained by the ambient void energy. Critical decision points arise when encountering lingering spirits or cursed artifacts; one can choose to cleanse them, restoring their souls to the cycle, or destroy them permanently to prevent further corruption. Depending on these choices, the city may be partially restored, allowing refugees to return, or it may remain a quarantine zone of eternal silence. Rewards typically include unique soul-bound items, lore entries regarding ancient animancy, and increased reputation with factions that value the preservation of spiritual balance.
Did You Know?
- The concept of a 'hollowed' area is directly tied to the game's core mechanic where souls are visible as colored lights.
- Ancient texts suggest that some cities were intentionally hollowed by rogue animancers to create undead armies without the need for necromancy.
- The Witness is uniquely capable of perceiving the 'hollowness' due to their own unique soul state.
More in Story Arcs & Quests
Elsewhere in Pillars of Eternity
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced