Lore

This page is an attempt to collect the lore of the Heroes! 2 universe. Please note that information on this page may not always be accurate, as the story is not complete and is subject to change. This information was gathered from various quotes from the game's developer, weapon descriptions, and lore books.

Pre-Game Lore
The story of Heroes 2 began a millennia ago, when the Distant Goddess came to the World. She was intrigued by the planets Magical Abundance in the form of worldstone, and so she created the first Mortals to protect it. Eventually some of these mortals, such as the Creator of the Orcs and The Selfish One split off from the world because of their dark magic usage and were forced into the then barren land of Lorithas. Over an unknown length of time the barren land of Lorithas was turned into a thriving land. During this time, an unknown wizard created the first orcs in an attempt to make other creatures in the wizards image, however these attempts failed, creating the first orcs. Because of Lorithas's reliance on dark magic, a terrible tragedy befell the country, and it was filled with corruption and became barren once more.

The 1st Age
The first age took place before the arrival of the Distant Goddess. The only information known about this age is that the World already existed.

The 2nd Age
The second age took place after the Distant Goddess arrived at the World and created mortals. During the 2nd age, civilization was sparse as mortals were still exploring the world. Eventually the people of the city of Niess would develop the first golems under the careful influence of the Distant Goddess. This age came to an end with the departure of the Distant Goddess.

The 3rd Age
The third age was a time of prosperity for the world. During this time, the Selfish One came into power, developing their nation in Lorithas. However, the selfish one would bring this age to an end by starting the great corruption.

The 4th Age
The fourth age is the age the game takes place in. It began at the same time as the corruption. The corruption would have a huge influence on the evolution of the world from then forward. This is also around the time when the Order & Jolian Empire were founded.

4th Age, Year 3.
In the third Age of the Second age the Order of the Purifiers had a change in leadership to become run by 8 abbots/abbesses.

Later in the 4th Age
A nondescript amount of time after the Order of The Purifiers began, the first entry was written into The Tome of Valor, which is generally decided as the unofficially beginning of the League of Valor, although due to the nature of the group it is not the "official start".

Story of the game
The game begins with an unnamed rookie slayer of unknown origin (The player) joining the slayer organization. After being taught the basics of slayer work by Drillmaster Leon the slayer is sent on their first real mission.

Orc Storyline
The Orc Storyline follows a series of Orc attacks in the northwest continent.

Tower at Kastakar
The Orc storyline begins with the mission "Tower at Kastakar". An infestation of orcs has suddenly sprung up under a tower at the border of Kakasta and The Jolian Empire. After the Jolians report to the slayers the Player is sent on this seemingly simple mission to deal with the small horde of orcs, but as you delve deeper into the nest it's revealed there's more to this infestation than it initially seemed. After entering a tunnel and defeating a final ferocious floor of flimsy orcs as well as picking up a log from the foreman describing the poor working conditions of the kakastan people building the tower, you make your way into a circular room, were you stumble across the Orc Lieutenant Urvok, and once you defeat him with his dying breath Urvok exclaims:

"You... Can't... Stop... us all..."

It's important to add that after discussing these events with Leon he mentions that while orc infestations are not uncommon, something on this scale has never been seen near Kakasta.

Tunneling Threat
The second dungeon in the Orc storyline, tunneling threat shows us a new form of orc, orc sappers. Due to some seismic disturbances under the city of Neiss, the Geomancer Helia asks the Slayer Alliance to send some slayers to investigate the problem. As the slayers delve deeper, it turns out that the disturbance was caused by orcs wielding explosives, digging a tunnel to an unknown location. Discussing these events with npc's in the lobby reveals that these explosives were actually stolen, and that orcs shouldn't have the intelligence to do such a thing.

Corrupted Heritage
Corrupted Heritage is the first real boss of the Orc storyline. Wherever the orcs were digging too, they ended up exposing a vein of corruption underneath the city, allowing it to spread into a chamber containing an artifact given to the people of the city by the Distant Goddess during the second age. After Neiss attempts & fails to destroy the artifact on their own via their Elite Soldiers "The Corsairs", the city calls upon the slayers to take it out instead. After a long battle with the artifact, the slayers succeed.

Sudden Incursion
Due to the majority of Jolian forces securing the Kakastan border, the slayers are invited to take out an infestation by new ghrast. After fighting through a couple small hordes of enemies you make your way to the bottom of the nest where you come across the most orcs lieutenants you've seen as of yet, two hulking figures by the names of Gorok and Terek.

Scouting Ahead
After some deliberation, the kakastan city council has angered the tribal leaders and let the slayers look for orcs around kakasta. On your trip you find a massive group of Orcs just outside the Capital city of Kakasta. Some thing seems off however, as there appears to be no orcish devastation in the surrounding area- and the orcs weren't exactly attacking...

It is unclear whether or not it is strange for the slayer alliance to be within kakastan borders, but what is clear is that there is something strange with how Kakasta reacted to the slayers trying to come over there.

Growing Suspicion
Although they searched much to the chagrin of the Kakastan locals, the scouts have uncovered a compound near the orcs that strangely has yet to be looted. Upon further investigation there seems to be some kind of locked orc facility beneath the compound, and Leon has you return as soon as you find it so you can regroup and send people in to break the lock. As the events of the orc storyline appears to be coming to a climax, Leon mentions his distress at the dwindling possibilities for the orc outbreak, and conversing with Avery reveals the order suspects some manner of plot to be behind the actions of the orcs, but only time will tell.

Depths of Betrayal
The lock to the facility is finally broken, and Leon sends you in to investigate the mysterious locale. At the bottom of the facility a strange shadowing figure makes the bold claim that destroying the facility will not stop their work, before disappearing into the dark. The mysterious figure is the talk of the town when you return, and while the college and league both hope its a monster, the order seems to have other ideas...

Undead Storyline
The Undead Storyline follows a mysterious outbreak of skeletons all over the Mission Map, presumably caused by the Jukumai Necromancers- although that remains unconfirmed in the story.

A Grave Issue
A grave issue is the first mission in the Undead storyline, and it follows a small outbreak of undead in a cemetery nearby The City of Peace. When The Player initially enters the grave yard Drill Master Leon appears certain that the "Foul Jukumai Necromancers" are behind it, but as you delve deeper Leon appears less and less certain. Upon completion of the dungeon Leon notes that you didn't encounter any necromancers, and that he finds that odd.

Haunted Forest
The second mission in the skeleton storyline, Haunted forest doesn't do much for the plot of the storyline. However, despite that it doesn't do anything for the storyline, it does do something for Leon. After completing the mission Leon will tell you that's he's actually from yakund, and that he enjoys going to Iskis despite the fact the two countries could not be more different.

Broken Bones
Broken bones is the third game in the skeleton storyline, and it gives us the first boss of the storyline. The Osseous Aberration's origins and goals are a mystery, but its relevance to the story is not. Its initial exposure to the story is when it kills an unnamed scout, making Leon furious. Because of the Aberration we get to see a side of Leon we've never seen before or since, that regardless of his joking about rookies grave, Leon really cares about the slayers that work under him.

A Promise Made
A Promise Made introduces for the first time Vladiv "Ironsides" Kyresk, where he asks you to clear out the exterior of a glacial tomb, and set up camp.

A Promise Fulfilled
In this mission, which is a sequel to A Promise Made, Vladiv requests you to clear out the interior of the same tomb from A Promise Made, and eventually, put to rest the corpse of Vladiv's friend, Yurov, who is classified by the game as the Lost Champion boss.

The Shadow Storyline
The shadow storyline currently only has one dungeon, but it's enough to give us a rough idea of what we'll be encountering along this storyline.

Homefront defense
The first dungeon on the shadow storyline, Homefront defense gives us fascinating insight into the characters of Drillmaster Leon, and Vladiv Kyresk of the League of Valor. Although all we learn about Vladiv is his outgoing personality inside the dungeon, we learn quite a bit more from Leon after we finish. Leon tells us that as young slayers the two were good friends, but after Leon joined the Order and Vladiv the league, they grew distant. Shortly after this dungeon came out, we got confirmation that Leon is indeed gay.

Pushing Forward
After the shadows capture the outpost Fort Ryonos in their relentless assualt you are sent in alongside Vladiv to take it back. In the final room you find a small group of extra powerful shadows, and after a short duel you manage to come out victorious yet again.

Side Stories
While the main stories in heroes 2 are fascinating, there are also some side stories such as The Rookies Tale, which can be deciphered through item clues and lore books.

The Rookies Tale
The rookies tale tells the story of an unnamed rookie dubbed "Riperoo Rick" by the fans, who died in rookies grave, and the aftermath his death caused. Rick was married before he joined the slayer corps, a family man. But the work of a slayer called to him, and he joined a small batch of rookies for his first mission out. The rookies were treated to the same mission all rookies are, a "simple" "easy" nest of orcs known by those who survived it as "Rookies Grave". After fighting through three floors with his comrades Rick got cocky in the most dangerous place of all. He ran through the caves cleaving through orcs and taking only little bits of damage, but eventually that damage stacked up. Finding himself in a room with orcs breaking down the doors around him he wrote one final entry in his journal as an attempt to record his final moments. He makes a final prayer to the distant goddess, imbuing his shield with his will to survive. Later his unnamed wife would learn of this tragedy, and imbue all her hatred and vengeance into the design for a new weapon, to make sure those monsters paid in blood.