You’re standing in the humid, soul-heavy air of the Sun in Shadow. Thaos is down. The machines are humming with an energy that feels like it could rip the world apart. Now comes the part where Obsidian Entertainment reminds you why you play RPGs in the first place. You have to decide what happens to the thousands of captured souls trapped in the machine. Specifically, you’re looking at the choice to destroy the ruins or sever the adra, a decision that basically defines the legacy of your Watcher.
Honestly, it’s a mess. Not a technical mess—the game runs great—but a moral one. There is no "golden ending" here where everyone gets a trophy and a hug. You’re dealing with the literal essence of people, and the game forces you to weigh the stability of a nation against the natural cycle of life and death. If you’ve spent sixty hours getting to this point, the last thing you want to do is click a button and realize five minutes later that you accidentally doomed the Dyrwood to another century of misery.
The Weight of the Machine: Understanding the Stakes
Before you click anything, let’s talk about what’s actually happening. The machine in the Breith Eaman is a piece of Engwithan technology. It’s been siphoning souls—the "Hollowborn"—to empower a manufactured god. By the time you’re standing there, you have a massive "battery" of soul essence.
If you choose to destroy the ruins or sever the adra, you are essentially making a statement on whether this ancient, meddling technology should ever have existed. This isn't just about the current souls; it's about the precedent. The Dyrwood has been suffering from the Legacy, where children are born without souls. It’s a literal nightmare scenario. Your choice here determines if those souls go back to where they belong, stay trapped, or get redistributed in a way that might be "efficient" but feels kinda gross.
Most players feel an immediate urge to "fix" things. But what does fixing look like in Eora? If you sever the connection to the adra, you’re cutting the fuel line. If you destroy the ruins, you’re demolishing the gas station. It sounds similar, but the narrative ripples are huge.
Why Some Players Choose to Destroy the Ruins
Choosing to destroy the ruins is the "burn it all down" approach. You’re looking at centuries of Engwithan manipulation and saying, "Enough." By physically or spiritually obliterating the site, you ensure that no one—not the Leaden Key, not the gods, and certainly not some future power-hungry kinsman—can use this specific spot to mess with the cycle of reincarnation again.
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It’s a permanent solution to a temporary problem that has lasted way too long.
However, there’s a catch. If you destroy the ruins without a plan for the souls already inside, you’re effectively scattered them into the ether. It’s chaotic. It’s messy. You might stop the immediate threat of Thaos’s plan, but you aren’t necessarily healing the Dyrwood in the way the locals might hope. It’s a choice for the person who thinks the world is better off without god-like machines, even if the transition period is a total disaster.
The Case for Severing the Adra
Severing the adra feels a bit more surgical. You aren't necessarily blowing up the whole mountain, but you are cutting the tie between the soul-essence and the physical world. In Pillars of Eternity, Adra is the "conductor" for souls. It’s the highway system of the afterlife. When you sever that connection at the Sun in Shadow, you’re basically closing the off-ramp that Thaos was using to divert traffic.
When you destroy the ruins or sever the adra, the "severing" option often appeals to those who want to restore the natural order of Berath’s Wheel. You’re telling the souls: "Go back. Get back into the cycle. Start over."
The Dyrwood desperately needs new life. The Hollowborn crisis has broken the spirit of the people. By severing the link and letting those souls return to the cycle of reincarnation, you’re giving the nation a future. It’s arguably the more "humane" choice if you believe that the soul’s natural journey is the highest priority. But keep in mind, you're still playing within the rules the gods set up. You aren't breaking the system; you're just fixing a leak.
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The God Problem: Pledges and Consequences
You probably made a deal. Don't lie. Most players, in their quest for power or information, ended up promising a specific god that they would handle the souls in a certain way.
- Galawain wants you to strengthen the souls (survival of the fittest).
- Berath wants them returned to the cycle (order).
- Hylea wants them returned to the bodies they were stolen from (mercy).
- Rymrgand... well, Rymrgand wants them deleted (nihilism).
If you chose to destroy the ruins or sever the adra in a way that contradicts your pledge, there are consequences in the epilogue. The gods in Pillars of Eternity are petty. They are basically high-schoolers with the power to level cities. If you promised Hylea you’d fix the Hollowborn and then you decide to just blow the place up, don't expect a thank-you card. The game’s ending slides change drastically based on whether you kept your word.
Honestly, the most satisfying ending for many is the one where they tell the gods to kick rocks, but that leads to a much bleaker outlook for the Dyrwood. It’s the classic RPG dilemma: do you do what’s "right" or what’s "safe"?
How Your Choice Impacts the Dyrwood’s Future
Let's look at the actual outcomes. If you return the souls to the cycle (often via severing the adra or following Berath’s lead), the Dyrwood begins to heal. The next generation of children are born with souls. The "Legacy" ends. It’s a moment of collective relief.
If you choose a more destructive or chaotic path, the Dyrwood remains a scarred land. People are suspicious. The trauma of the Hollowborn years lingers because there wasn't a clean resolution. You might have saved the world from Thaos, but you didn't necessarily save the people from their own despair.
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I’ve played through this game three times. Each time, I think I’m going to do something different. But when you’re standing there, and you see the sheer scale of the injustice Thaos committed, it’s hard not to want the most "complete" fix possible. Usually, that involves some variation of returning the souls, but the "how" matters just as much as the "why."
Practical Steps for Your Final Save
Don't just click the first dialogue option that looks cool.
- Check your reputation. If you’ve built a specific character arc, make sure your choice at the ruins aligns with that. A "Cruel" or "Aggressive" Watcher might find destroying the ruins more in character than a "Benevolent" one who wants to heal the souls.
- Review your pledges. Open your journal. See which god you actually promised to help. If you break a promise to a god like Rymrgand, the ending slides for certain regions (like Twin Elms) can get pretty dark.
- Think about the sequel. If you’re planning on importing your save into Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, this choice matters. While the "main" plot of Deadfire focuses on Eothas, the state of the Dyrwood and your relationship with the gods carry over. Your reputation as a "God-breaker" or a "God-servant" starts right here.
- Consider the "Hylea" ending. If you want the most "traditionally" happy ending for the Dyrwood, following Hylea’s request to return the souls to the Hollowborn children is the way to go. It requires you to be careful with how you handle the machine, but it’s the closest thing to a "win" for the common folk.
Ultimately, whether you destroy the ruins or sever the adra, you're leaving a mark on Eora that won't be erased. The game doesn't judge you with a "Game Over" screen, but the epilogue slides will definitely make you sit with your choices. Take a second. Breathe. Think about the thousands of souls waiting for you to move your mouse. Then, do what you think is right—or at least, what you can live with.
The most important thing to remember is that the "correct" choice depends entirely on your philosophy regarding the gods. If you believe the gods are frauds (which the game heavily implies), then destroying the ruins and severing the adra to spite them makes total sense. If you think the world needs the stability the gods provide, then you'll likely play along. There's no wrong way to end a masterpiece.