A collection of lore published in official patchnotes or announcements.
For thousands of years, we thought that they were gone, that they were no more than a myth parents told their children at night so they would go to bed without protest. Dragons, we thought, were just a story… but we were wrong.
For some time now, we’ve sent agents into Oryx’s Realm as undercover minions. They were tasked with gathering information and reporting any new developments to us so we could prepare for coming onslaught. Recently our best agents, Steve and Stella (a.k.a. The Bats), came to us with disturbing news — Oryx has a secret…
Deep inside of Oryx’s Realm is a place known to only a few. This place, henceforth called the Lair of Draconis, is where Oryx has been hiding his newest minions. For years now, Oryx has been using this Lair to perfect the skill set of his Dragons through selective breeding. He holds the souls of these poor creatures captive so that they will answer to his command alone. Should he unleash his flying army, we would not stand a chance.
And so, adventurers, we call upon you to pick up your arms and enter the Lair of Draconis! We must eliminate the dragons and reunite them with their souls before they are released into the Realm! Defeat this threat, heroes, and earn your reward!
Hibernating for a millennia deep beneath the surface of the Realm, legends tell that the beast would awaken at the dawning of the new age. Those adventurers brave enough to have the rare opportunity of encountering this monstrosity had better have their wits about them. To defeat the beast, adventurers are going to have to ensure its complete obliteration; just going for the throat on this one might prove… futile.
Your local Realm Huntresses have been hard at work training your Pets from being the mindless followers they once were, into the ferocious minions they are now!
Conditions in the Realm are rather rough and much too treacherous for your beloved new Pet. Luckily, you have the Pet Yard! Wizards and Warriors alike have worked hard to carve out the safest places in the Nexus to raise your Pets.
Much like all creatures in the Mad God’s Realm, your Pets need to eat too. Your Pet Yard’s Control Console has the ability to synthesize items you find on your adventures into food for your Pets.
Many brave adventurers have lost their lives trying to learn the Mad Lab’s secrets, and their sacrifices have not been in vain. Those who’ve returned do so with important pieces of technology to further the Nexus’ cause. This technology, stolen from Doctor Terrible, has paved the way for Pet Fusion!
Caretakers, like all other Realm Adventurers, were summoned to the Realm by Oryx’s Dark Magic to be served as food for his Minions. Fortunately, they were able to escape to the safety of the Nexus and now reside in Pet Yards. They’ve decided to take on a more humble lifestyle, choosing to tend to the rigors of Pet Keeping rather than to the hardships of battle. Your Caretaker can tell you all there is to know about Pets, and will assist you to the best of his ability to keep them under control.
Don’t let the Caretaker’s gentle way of life fool you though! Handling Pets is much more brutal than it seems (Have you seen the size of those Divine ones?!). As your Pets grow, steady handling and larger spaces will become more and more necessary.
While Oryx might have underestimated the strength of the human spirit when first summoning adventurers to his Realm, he certainly did not account for the critters hiding in the cracks and crevices of his domain. You brave adventurers have come a long way, establishing a safe haven in the Mad God’s Realm using only their wits, to train loyal companions to help take him down!
The time has come, heroes! No longer will the tiny creatures of the Realm run in fear of your vicious foes. Where they might have been the prey at one point, they now step up to play predator! Your loyal Pet will not let you down. Be glad they are on your side!
Bella is a unique creature, the product of a mishap caused by the Mad Lab Scientist as he ambled past her in search of a key ingredient for his experiment. Here is her story if you would like to get to know her:
She wasn’t always like this, it used to be simple. Her life was brief but beautiful, each day spent in the warm company of the sun and the gentle touch of the rain.
Then everything changed…
The scientist who created her didn’t mean to, she knew it. He had simply spilled a vial he was working with onto her petals as he passed by in search of an ingredient for his mad concoction. Now she could see, now she could move, and now she could process the horror that took place each Valentine’s Day. Each year, Bella watched in agony as flowers were picked by wandering adventurers to give to their loved ones. She cried for each dear little plant as its life was plucked from its roots to adorn an empty glass vase only to be thrown away a few days later without a thought.
This year will be different though, this year they will learn to respect the flora they stomp on each day. This year, she will fight back…
Harnessing the power of her deadly berries, Bella Donna will not stand by idly and watch as yet another bloom’s life is cut short. No, she will make each and every adventurer pay for their folly…
Though Bella seeks vengeance for her fellow flowers, she only has a limited time to do it. She is a flower after all, and her life is fleeting in comparison to our own.
Shaitan, the first of these Mini Dungeon Bosses, is Oryx’s advisor and personal confidant. While slightly insane himself, Shaitan is King of the Djinn that roam the mountains of the Realm. Though disembodied, he lives his life in the ever-changing state of fire, a reminder to those who would cross him or take him as an ally. Be wary of this foe, as he is formidable and dangerous.
Stories of the four dragons that lay in the Lair of Draconis have passed from generation to generation but few know of the fifth dragon, the Ivory Wyvern. It is said that you can see the shimmering gold of his stolen treasure reflected in the pale ivory scales that cover his snake-like body. Trapped in the depths of the dungeon with his prizes, he seeks the power to escape his eternal prison.
Few have escaped a brush with the ivory colored beast, but those that have speak of a treasure highly coveted by the creature. Hidden away from the light is a shuriken of immense power, so dark that it absorbs the light around it and so deadly that to be hit by the shuriken is to be instantly paralyzed. Many a brave soul has ventured forth to obtain the Midnight Star, but none of have yet claimed it.
In a time before the adventurers arrived in Oryx’s Realm and before Oryx shut himself away in his Wine Cellar, the Mad God surrounded himself with a court of followers. Shaitan, the Mad God’s advisor was present at the right hand of his master and the Stone Guardian’s protected him with their life. In all aspects but one, it could be considered a thriving realm. No kingdom is complete, however, without some entertainment to while away the time. Meet The Puppet Master, once a traveling act, Oryx hired him to complete his court and entertain his guests. But beware, Oryx’s idea of a good show might just kill you…
In order to save his Realm from the incoming hordes of adventurers, Oryx must create a horde of his own. With this purpose in mind he turns to Skuld, who has taken the souls of brave departed heroes and corrupted them to fight for the Mad God. For years, Skuld has been slowly building an army, and this Halloween he will finally be ready to release his creations into the world. Will you be ready to fend off legions of the undead? Or will you be the next to join their ranks?
Many years ago, a legendary guild existed that stood far above the rest. It consisted of only the strongest and most powerful heroes to ever grace the realm. To this day, their names go down in history and it is commonplace for younger adventurers to adopt their titles. Their namesakes are what many know as the “default names.” This mighty band of travelers eventually died off, but not without leaving behind a legacy and a trace of their collective power.
In a small and remote glade at the far reaches of the realm, every one of them agreed to transform their remaining life essence into a forest spirit, otherwise known as fairies. The woods have gone undisturbed for years, but due to the lack of an independent consciousness, the fairies have forgotten their purpose and consider anyone a trespasser. None of them will go down without a fight, but the source of their strength may also lie somewhere in the forest.
As Oryx saw his minions fail to defeat the heroes time and time again, he devised a plan with less reliance on brute force. Thanks to some connections with Mixcoatl, he was able to commission the aid of a remote tribe dwelling deep in realm’s densest jungle. Rather than outright pitting the heroes against another one of his underlings, Oryx instead opted to throw the heroes into these woods without hope of escape, waiting to be killed by any number of wild threats.
This accursed jungle is home to some of the realm’s most vicious animals, fiercest natives, and deities of incomprehensible strength waiting for an opportunity to wield their arcane powers. The denizens exert wicked black magic, and their leader commands the almighty power of lightning itself in ways which have never been witnessed before. Brandish your mightiest weapons, for Oryx’s latest bounty hunting court member means business.
In the golden age of the realm before Oryx’s reign, this great library hosted a wealth of literature, research, and historical documentation. Eager students studied, esteemed scholars taught, and the realm’s greatest philosophers helped advance their society. When Oryx began his tyranny, he recognized the threat posed by such a capital of learning and intellect. Enlisting the aid of Lord Ruthven’s proficiency in black magic, Oryx unleashed a vicious curse upon the library.
All was corrupted in an instant, transforming those inside into soulless husks of who they once were. Some were lucky enough to retain a humanoid form, while others morphed into eldritch horrors hopelessly beyond recognition. Once a great hub of knowledge, these forsaken archives now hold something far more sinister.
Centuries of ancient wisdom, all lost in the blink of an eye. None have set foot on this decrepit site since. Those who dare tread its cursed grounds may find themselves wiser for it, but at what cost?
The expedition begins!
One morning you enter the Nexus and realize: it is unusually quiet. Looking around, you notice no change - everyone is where they should be, a portal to the realm gives off a low buzzing sound, there are muffled noises coming from the Cloth Bazaar - everything is as usual. Then it hits you: the dwarves that were so noisy recently have packed up and left town!
Talking to the Tinkerer you learn that the funding for their expedition is finally complete and they have gone out into the realm in search of the pink crystals they were after.
They were very grateful for the massive support they received and have left behind a big pile of gifts for everyone!
A few days later a letter comes in from the expedition asking for help! They have found a vein of crystal but their digging is drawing the unwanted attention of some strange fungal creatures. Go out and help them dig, untold riches await in the deep!
The expedition continues!
After vanquishing the crystalline creature embedded in the Fungal Cavern, the dwarf informs you of the unimaginable riches hidden even deeper within. Blinded by the pleasure of treasure (and perhaps against your better judgment), you throw yourself into the depths below and soon discover crystals… everywhere! But not all is as it seems, for upon closer inspection you notice that some of those gems are very much alive, ready to kill you and your crew for trespassing on their territory. What awaits at the heart of this cavernous labyrinth?
