Obsessive fans of Obsidian Entertainment have been dissecting every frame of the Avowed trailers since that first cinematic teaser dropped. We finally have a name for one of the most striking companions in the game: Yatzil. She’s a Godlike, specifically a Moon Godlike, which in the world of Eora means she bears the physical marks of the deity Ondra. She’s got those glowing lunar features that make her stand out in any crowd, but it’s her voice that really grounds her character.
The Yatzil Avowed voice actor is Mara Junot.
If you’ve played basically any major AAA game in the last decade, you’ve heard her. She has this incredible range that spans from silky smooth authority to gritty, battle-hardened wisdom. In Avowed, she’s bringing a specific kind of mystical weight to Yatzil, a character who serves as a "High Abbot" and a conduit for the divine. It’s a big role. Honestly, Yatzil feels like she might be the moral or spiritual compass of the player's party, and Junot’s performance is central to making that believable rather than just trope-heavy fantasy chatter.
Why Mara Junot is the Perfect Choice for Yatzil
Casting in RPGs is tricky. You need someone who can handle thousands of lines of dialogue without sounding repetitive. Mara Junot isn't new to this. You might recognize her as the voice of Sindel in Mortal Kombat 11 and Mortal Kombat 1, or perhaps as Lisa Miller in Deathloop. She even voiced Evelynn in League of Legends.
She's a veteran.
When you hear Yatzil speak in the Avowed gameplay deep dives, there’s a specific cadence. It’s steady. It’s deliberate. Because Yatzil is a Moon Godlike, she’s seen as a blessed (or cursed) being by the people of the Living Lands. Junot plays into that "otherness." She doesn't sound like a standard tavern brawler. There’s a resonance in her lower register that makes Yatzil feel older and more experienced than she might look.
Obsidian has a history of incredible companion writing—think of Aloth or Eder from Pillars of Eternity. Those characters worked because the voice acting matched the prose. By bringing in someone with Junot’s resume, it's clear Obsidian wants Yatzil to be more than just a mage-class follower. They want her to be an icon.
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Understanding Yatzil’s Role in the Living Lands
To understand why the Yatzil Avowed voice actor had such a challenge, you have to look at what Yatzil actually represents in the game's lore. She isn't just a random traveler. She is a representative of the local power structures in the Living Lands, specifically tied to the Pillar of Adra.
In the Avowed developer breakdown from early 2024, game director Carrie Patel noted that companions aren't just combat pets. They are your window into the culture of the world. Yatzil is deeply tied to the "Dreamscourge," the plague that's rotting the soul of the island. When Junot delivers lines about the spiritual decay of the land, it has to sound urgent.
It's about the contrast.
You have Kai, the coastal Aumaua voiced by Brandon Keener (yes, Garrus from Mass Effect), who provides a more cynical, grounded perspective. Then you have Yatzil. If Kai is the "street smarts" of the group, Yatzil is the "soul." Her dialogue often leans into the metaphysical. It’s hard to make "spirit-flow" and "soul-rot" sound like natural conversation, but Junot pulls it off by focusing on the emotional stakes rather than just the fantasy jargon.
The Complexity of Moon Godlikes
In the Pillars of Eternity universe—which Avowed is part of—Godlikes are people born with physical manifestations of a god’s power. Moon Godlikes usually have pale skin and "moonshell" growths on their heads that glow.
They are often revered. Sometimes they are feared.
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Yatzil’s design is stunning, but the voice actor has to bridge the gap between that alien appearance and human emotion. Mara Junot uses a warmth in her tone that suggests Yatzil cares deeply for her people, despite her status as a quasi-divine figure. It’s a "burden of leadership" vibe. You can hear it when she questions the player’s motives as the Envoy from the Aedyr Empire. She isn't just following you because you're the protagonist; she’s following you because she has to save her home.
Breaking Down Mara Junot’s Career Path
If you're wondering where else you've encountered the Yatzil Avowed voice actor, the list is honestly exhausting in a good way. She’s one of those "voice of a thousand characters" types.
- Mortal Kombat series: As Sindel, she had to play a literal queen. That regal authority is clearly being channeled into Yatzil.
- Genshin Impact: She voices Shikanoin Heizou’s "detective" aura and several other roles, showing she can handle the more stylized, "anime" side of gaming too.
- Destiny 2: She provided voices for various characters and Ikora Rey’s cinematic stand-ins in certain contexts.
- The Outer Worlds: She’s worked with Obsidian before! She voiced several NPCs in their space-faring RPG, which likely made the transition to Avowed a natural fit.
The fact that Obsidian keeps rehiring her tells you everything you need to know about her professionalism and ability to take direction. She knows the "Obsidian tone." It’s usually a mix of dark humor, political intrigue, and high-stakes philosophy.
What to Expect from Yatzil’s Companion Arc
Based on the gameplay footage, Yatzil is a mage. She uses spells that look like they're derived from water and light—fitting for a Moon Godlike. But the real meat of her character will be in the "camp talks."
The relationship between the Envoy (you) and Yatzil is strained. You are an outsider sent by an Emperor. She is a local leader. Mara Junot’s performance includes a lot of "weighted silences." Sometimes it’s what she doesn’t say that tells you she doesn't trust the Aedyr Empire.
If you plan on playing Avowed as a conqueror, expect Yatzil to be your primary antagonist within the party. If you play as a savior, she’ll likely be your strongest ally. This kind of branching reactivity requires the voice actor to record multiple versions of the same scenes with completely different emotional undertones. It’s a massive undertaking.
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The Technical Side of the Voice Acting in Avowed
Obsidian uses a lot of performance capture now, not just booth-based voice recording. While we don't know the full extent of the mo-cap for Yatzil, the facial animations in the 2024 previews show a high level of sync between Junot’s delivery and Yatzil’s expressions.
When Yatzil frowns or looks toward the Adra pillars, the micro-expressions match the "breathiness" in Junot’s voice. It makes the character feel less like a puppet and more like a person. This is a huge step up from the isometric days of Pillars of Eternity where we mostly just had portraits and text boxes. Now, the Yatzil Avowed voice actor has to carry the scene visually too.
How to Prepare for the Avowed Launch
If you want to get the most out of Yatzil’s character when the game drops, here is what you should do:
- Brush up on Ondra lore: Since Yatzil is a Moon Godlike, she is linked to the goddess of the sea and the moon. Understanding Ondra’s temperamental nature will help you understand Yatzil’s personality.
- Listen to Mara Junot’s previous work: Fire up Mortal Kombat or watch some Deathloop clips. Notice how she shifts from being menacing to being vulnerable. It’ll help you appreciate the nuance she brings to Yatzil.
- Play Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire: While not strictly necessary, it introduces the concept of Godlikes in much more detail. You’ll see why Yatzil is such a big deal in the Living Lands.
The choice of Mara Junot as the Yatzil Avowed voice actor is a signal that Obsidian is leaning into high-quality, cinematic storytelling. They aren't just making a dungeon crawler; they are making a character drama set in a wild, fungal frontier. Yatzil is poised to be the breakout star of the game, much like Karlach was for Baldur’s Gate 3.
Keep an ear out for the subtle shifts in her tone when you discuss the Emperor. It’s in those moments that the real story of Avowed is told.
Next Steps for Players
To truly appreciate the performance once the game is in your hands, pay close attention to the disapproval ratings. Unlike many RPGs where companions just "deal with" your choices, Obsidian characters often have a breaking point. Use your first playthrough to test Yatzil’s boundaries.
Listen to how her voice changes when she’s angry versus when she’s lecturing you. It’s the best way to see the full range of Mara Junot's work. If you're interested in the technical side of how these voices are brought to life, follow the official Obsidian "Developer Diaries" on YouTube, where they occasionally go behind the scenes into the recording booth to show the synergy between the writers and the actors.