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About Avernum: Escape From the Pit
Avernum: Escape From the Pit drops you into an immense subterranean nation where exile means survival against monsters and darkness. The surface empire, ruled by Emperor Hawthorne, banishes dissenters to this underground realm, expecting them to perish.
You can join the underground resistance, explore vast towns and dungeons, hunt magical artifacts, and pursue one of three distinct game‑winning quests—safety, escape, or revenge—while shaping your own legend in the underworld.
01 / THE GUIDE
Setting and Story
The game is set in Avernum, an enormous underground nation populated by rogues, misfits, and brigands. Exiled by the surface empire, players must survive starvation, monsters, or despair.
The narrative centers on choosing to fight for safety, freedom, or revenge against the cruel Emperor Hawthorne, offering three separate game‑winning quests that can be completed alone or together.
- Consider which of the three overarching goals aligns with your preferred playstyle before committing to quests.
- Explore the lore in towns to better understand the motivations of the underground resistance.
02 / THE GUIDE
World Size and Locations
Avernum features a huge outdoor environment with eighty towns and dungeons to discover. The expansive map encourages extensive exploration and offers varied locales for quests.
Hundreds of side quests and magical artifacts are scattered throughout, providing depth beyond the main story and rewarding thorough players with additional challenges and loot.
- Map out towns you visit to avoid missing hidden side quests.
- Use travel routes between towns to plan efficient exploration.

03 / THE GUIDE
Quest Structure
The game presents three separate game‑winning quests: seek safety, escape, or revenge. Players may complete any one or all three, allowing flexible narrative outcomes.
In addition to the main arcs, hundreds of side quests provide optional objectives, encouraging players to engage with the world beyond the primary storyline.
- Prioritize main quests if you prefer a clear narrative direction.
- Mix side quests with main objectives to break up longer story segments.
04 / THE GUIDE
Magic and Combat System
Avernum offers a rich system with over 50 spells and battle disciplines. Players can also select beneficial character traits to customize their combat style.
The combination of magic, steel, and diverse disciplines creates varied tactical options for confronting the monster‑infested darkness.
- Experiment with different spell combinations to discover effective synergies.
- Balance combat disciplines with character traits for a well‑rounded party.
05 / THE GUIDE
Platform Availability and Features
Avernum: Escape From the Pit is available on Windows and macOS, supporting single‑player gameplay, Steam Achievements, Steam Cloud, Stats, and Family Sharing. No Linux version is listed.
These features allow progress to be saved to the cloud and shared across family accounts, while achievements track in‑game milestones.
- Enable Steam Cloud to keep your save data backed up across devices.
- Check the Achievements list to set personal goals during play.





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