Exploration of the world, and the methods by which the player moves around it, are core parts of gameplay in Avowed.
Movement[]
Most of the world is explored on foot. The player can swim and dive underwater, and difficult terrain can be traversed by jumping over obstacles, ducking under narrow spaces, climbing up and down ledges, and vaulting over objects. Some abilities, like Charge, aid in traversal. In combat, it closes the gap on enemies, while outside of combat, it lets you leap across large gaps that cannot be jumped across.
Fast Travel[]
Via the world map, the player may fast travel from anywhere in the world to previously discovered Fast Travel Beacons, indicated with a purple symbol on the map.
Certain areas on the map will temporarily disable Fast Travel. This is indicated with a red icon next to the compass.
Quest markers[]
Quest markers are visual indicators within a game that guide the player towards their objective, and prevent the player from getting lost or stuck. In Avowed they appear as arrows on your HUD above a distance indicator, and an arrow in the minimap.
Some markers lead directly to the quest objective, others will only direct you to an approximate area where the objective is located, in which case the minimap will show a circle or outline surrounding the area.
Puzzles[]
Some side areas of the game are hidden behind "lock and key" mechanics, where in order to progress, the player must be able to bypass some sort of obstacle or puzzle.
Barriers[]
Barriers can be destroyed or bypassed by the player, often through specific interactions or actions. Weak barriers may just be hit with a melee weapon, while stronger barriers might require the use of explosives, or a Charge.
Systemic elements also play a part in overcoming barriers. For example a bramble bush blocks the path until the player uses Fan of Flames on it, has a companion to do so, or purchases an item from a vendor to burn the brambles away. Certain iron grates can be weakened with frost damage, for example via a Eye of Rymrgand.
Barriers, and the type of element or interaction required to break them are denoted via an icon in the HUD.
Godless Sigils and Essence Generators[]
Godless sigils, found in dungeons, mark electrical connections between two points. They are typically located near powered doors, devices, or Essence Generators, a type of power source marked with an electricity icon in the HUD, indicating that they may be energized. A wire links a sigil's device to its power source, often indicated by another sigil. By following the wire, the player can trace the connection back to the source.
When a device is unpowered, sigils glow yellow; when powered, they glow blue. Activating a power source, usually by using a casting a shock spell, using a weapon with Shock damage, or throwing an Electric Lily Seed, energizes its connected device. Sometimes, multiple sigils must be activated in sequence, in parallel, or a more complex circuit needs to be completed, to open a door or power a device.