Your home
Briar Hill is a rural village in Albion and the hero's childhood home. It is the first location you see in the game. The opening sequence takes place here, showing the hero as a child discovering heroic powers.
What happens
After the time jump to adulthood (when character customization begins), a mysterious stranger arrives in Briar Hill. This stranger petrifies the hero's grandmother and the entire village community, turning them to stone.
This event sends the hero out into Albion to find answers. The grandmother had mentioned Bowerstone and the Heroes' Guild, giving the player a direction. Humphry reluctantly takes you in.
No time pressure
The developers emphasized there is "no ticking bomb." The petrification creates motivation but the game waits while you explore. You can spend weeks fishing, buying property, and getting into fights across Albion before pursuing the main quest. The village stays frozen until you decide to act.
Role in the story
Briar Hill is the emotional anchor of the story. Your grandmother and community are frozen in stone. The main quest is about reversing what happened and figuring out why. Whether Briar Hill can be restored, and what that looks like, has not been spoiled.