Is it worth freeing Ilora from Fort Northreach Jail in Avowed?
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In Avowed, your first major decision is whether to free Ilora from Fort Northreach Jail, a choice that carries both immediate and long-term consequences. Ilora is upfront about her disdain for the colonizing Aedyrans, but she also has valuable information about a boat that can help you escape the fortress island and reach the Living Lands. This interaction adds depth to your decision-making, so let’s break down what happens if you choose to free Ilora or leave her behind.
Initially, you can either agree to help Ilora or threaten to abandon her in the jail. If you opt for the latter, she’ll become angrier, but you’ll have a chance to reconsider. Regardless of your dialogue choices, you’ll still need to locate the key to unlock her cell—more on that shortly.
While the effects of this choice may not be immediately clear, they do manifest soon after. If you free Ilora, she will honor her word and lead you to her ship, allowing you both to escape to Paradis. Additionally, she will assist you in the boss fight against Steadman Ralke before you reach the boat and reappears in the later ‘Escape Plan’ side quest.
On the flip side, if you leave Ilora locked up, she will escape on her own and confront you during the Steadman Ralke boss fight, becoming an enemy who will shoot at you with her pistol. You’ll need to take her down, but you can loot her body for her Common Pistol, a one-handed ranged weapon that isn’t particularly rare. You can still find the boat without her, but this choice means Ilora won’t appear in any future quests.
To summarize the outcomes of this choice:
To free Ilora in Avowed, climb the wooden crates in the corner of Fort Northreach Jail to reach the rafters. From there, go through the hole in the wall, turn right, and break the floor near the body of an Aedyran Soldier. This will drop you into a previously inaccessible room.
Inside, you’ll find the Fort Northreach Jail Key on a shelf. Grab it, unbar the door next to it, and return to the main area. You can then approach the cell and interact with the door to unlock it if you choose to free Ilora. Personally, I recommend this route to avoid an extra fight, but the choice is ultimately yours.
