With that bit of excitement out of the way, follow the road east until you reach the Temple of Avo. This enemy-free oasis of calm features several interesting new challenges—including a chance to pay your respects to Avo himself and earn some valuable rewards. Elsewhere, there’s a bodyguard for hire just outside the temple, plus a Resurrection Phial in the chest nearby.
Finally, on the hill at the end of the path to the south, you can find the Harbinger—a Legendary Longsword. Unfortunately, it’s currently wedged fast in a rock and it’s going to take some effort to tease it out. When you’ve exhausted your options in the area, head east toward Witchwood Lake.
The Harbinger
If it’s a test of Strength you want, you should definitely speak to the crowd gathering atop the hill to the south. Here lies the Legendary Harbinger, waiting to find its release at the hands of a mighty Hero. Before you can properly begin tackling its challenge, however, you need to make one first attempt at dislodging the sword.
If all your Strength Attributes are maxed out (which is highly unlikely at this point), the Harbinger can be extracted immediately. If not, the game records your current stats and demands that you make some Attribute improvements before the sword is yours. Specifically, your Physique Attribute must be increased by 5, your Toughness Attribute by 3, and your Health Attribute by 2. Don’t worry if you don’t have that many slots left to fill—maxed-out Attributes count, too. It might sound like a lot of effort for a single sword—but the Harbinger’s high damage rating makes it a valuable tool in battle.
The Temple Of Avo
Heroes in need of spiritual enlightenment should speak with the Temple of Avo’s holy order—you can find them swanning about in a daze of serenity inside. If you, too, seek the blessing of Avo, then, as the old saying goes, Good things come to those who donate....
As you’ve probably surmised, the Temple of Avo is the Good equivalent of Darkwood’s Chapel of Skorm. However, rather than demanding souls, the great god Avo prefers his offerings in the form of cold, hard cash. Each donation rewards Good points, with Evil characters receiving more for their contributions than pious Heroes. Significant donations, meanwhile, grant the benefactor with the gift of youth (knocking between four and ten years off your age), the Paladin title, and, finally, the Legendary Greatmace, Sentinus. This latter prize is especially coveted—its high damage and Silver Augmentation prove particularly effective against the area’s Balverine population.
