Warhammer: Vermintide 2 News

Today we are happy to introduce the latest DLC for Vermintide 2: Return to the Reik.

Expanding on the adventures of the Ubersreik Five, Lohner has a critical task that needs undertaking.

“So, looks like I’ve got a job for you in one of your old stomping grounds. Some dozy merchant’s got his ship wedged good and proper between the banks of the River Reik, and there are vital cargo vessels backed up all the way from Marienburg to Nuln. I wouldn’t mind, but there’s a mess of building materials aboard that Rosalinde needs to get this here keep into proper shape for what’s to come.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. What does this have to do with us? Well, renovations aside, I’m trying to get some of the more influential families of the region to support our little escapades - or at least to stop fighting amongst themselves while the Old World burns. Problem is, the van de Kuypers of Marienburg are insisting that this episode is all some plot to stop ‘em getting their marshlander mitts on a long-awaited supply of Nuln Oil. Funny stuff, but folk do swear by it. There’s no such plot, of course. Just the skaven sowing mischief, as usual … so you can expect plenty of the little buggers to be lurking around the riverbanks, laughing to themselves as they help themselves to stranded cargo. 

So I need you to get that ship free, as soon as you can, and however you can. The Bridge of Shadows is going to set you down in Carroburg, and I’m sure enterprising folks such as yourself can lay hands on something … persuasive … to get the bloody thing unstuck. Now, I’m thinking black powder, but I’ll leave the details to you.

This one’s a bit of a priority, I’m afraid. So no galavanting off to the Chaos Wastes until the matter’s settled. I know you’re all raring to go, but like my old mum used to say, you’ve got to eat your greens before getting to the dessert. Chop chop.”

It’s down to you, the heroes, to tread familiar ground along the Reik and re-open the trade routes and stop the Skaven from getting their hands on precious supplies..

This DLC is free and available now to all owners of the Bardin Songbook, and for everyone else will be purchasable on Steam on the 31st of April 2021.

An absent-minded man of mysteries, Franz Lohner relies on his bulging journal to keep track of occurrences, intrigues and arguments around Taal's Horn Keep. Sometimes his notes are even useful, believe it or not. The Franz Lohner Chronicles are extracts from that journal.



Turns out that Saltzpyre’s been thinking about the long game. I mean, we’ve all seen that things are getting worse around here, with no immediate hope of improvement, but Saltzpyre’s actually come up with a suggestion about what we do about it. And I’ll be honest, it’s not the one I expected of him.

According to Saltzpyre, there’s a place up in the grim north called “The Citadel of Eternity”. Never heard of it myself, but he’s adamant there are clues scattered about, if you know what you’re looking for. Supposedly, it’s a place close to the roof of the world, near enough that you can speak with the gods, if that’s your poison. And I’m not talking about the Dark Gods of Chaos, no – those buggers can hear you anywhere, so I understand. Proper gods. Sigmar and the like. Gods who might lend a hand, if we ask ‘em nice.

Apparently, the Order of the Silver Hammer has known about the Citadel of Eternity for some time, thanks to the liberal deployment of thumbscrews and red-hot pokers. It’s the kind of secret they don’t want out in the world, which makes it all the more surprising that Saltzpyre’s proposing we see if we can find the bloody place.

Didn’t exactly look happy when I coaxed that part out of him, if I’m honest. He knows that even contemplating the idea’s going to get him put on his fellow Witch Hunters’ naughty lists, should they ever find out. But he did perk up a bit once he got the words out. Even did that thing we let him think is a smile. You can tell it’s been weighing on him. A man like Saltzpyre lives his life bounded by rules, and breaking them’s scarier than all the red-hot pokers in the world. That’s how I know that no matter how bad I think things have gotten lately, they’re almost certainly worse.

Anyway, he’s asked me to keep it to myself for the time being. Wants to approach the others in his own good time. This ain’t gonna be some Festag stroll. It’s an expedition, right into the heart of the very worst bit of the world, and it’s gonna take a lot of preparation.

How do I feel about it? Still figuring that bit out, if I’m honest. I mean … just imagine if we could get a bit of divine intervention going. Faith’s all very well, but it don’t last forever. Not that I’m expecting old Sigmar to come striding down out of the heavens wreathed in lightning – though wouldn’t that be something? But a word? A blessing? Something to keep wavering hearts in the fight, and give us all a bit of hope that it’s possible to turn things around?

Yeah, I’d settle for that.

But then again, I’m not the one traipsing up into the Chaos Wastes.

An absent-minded man of mysteries, Franz Lohner relies on his bulging journal to keep track of occurrences, intrigues and arguments around Taal's Horn Keep. Sometimes his notes are even useful, believe it or not. The Franz Lohner Chronicles are extracts from that journal.


Hello diary. I hope you don’t mind me addressing you, an inanimate object, as if you’re some kind of sentient being worthy of conversation? I know it’s unseemly.

Alas, you are my only real friend … probably because you have no eyes with which to see how often I scratch myself in unseemly ways, or ears to hear that strange whistling noise I make with my teeth while I scour my tiny mayfly brain for what passes as a useful thought.

Believe me, you’re much better off for it. If only the others were so blessed.

I come to you with a confession. I have recently realised that I must be much, much, much nicer to Kerillian. Or rather, to Lady Kerillian the Beautiful and All-Wise - as I should really start calling her. She is patently as far above me as I am above the worms churning the soil.

No.

Wait.

She is patently many times farther above me than I am above the worms churning the soil. I cannot give you a precise number, no, as counting makes my head hurt and my tongue itch.

Alas, it’s a source of constant, guilty shame that I do not readily prostrate myself and clean Lady Kerillian’s boots with my tongue. Which she would of course not allow, because my tongue – like the rest of me – is filthier than her boots ever get. Yes, even after she’s been forced to walk through yet another sewer because I arrogantly assumed that doing so was a good use of her time.

I understand now that Lady Kerillian’s longevity is no excuse for such poor planning on my part. I should be endlessly grateful for every moment she sees fit to grant me - me! - and never again ask her to join Bardin’s misguided attempt at a sing-song.

Let me see. What else? What else do I talk about all the time? Oh, that’s right.

Pumpkins.

Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins.

I love pumpkins. In fact, I sometimes wish I was one.

Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins. Pumpkins.

Yours, Franz Lohner, in pumpkin love.

Pumpkins.

An absent-minded man of mysteries, Franz Lohner relies on his bulging journal to keep track of occurrences, intrigues and arguments around Taal's Horn Keep. Sometimes his notes are even useful, believe it or not. The Franz Lohner Chronicles are extracts from that journal.



Well, we’ve been here a while now, so I guess it’s time I laid down a little bit about the history of our fair base of operations: Taal’s Horn Keep.

First thing you ought to know is that there were originally two Taal’s Horn Keeps – or rather two Taal’s Horns Keeps. You see, folk think this place is named for Taal’s hunting horn. But in the earlier depictions, Taal has two bloody great antlers. That’s where these two keeps got their names. One sitting on either shoulder of the pass. Turns out the baron who ordered their raising was a devout follower of the Hunter God, and wanted every advantage he could get over the greenskins flowing out of the mountains. And you have to admit, there’s some fine symbolism in an invading army having to chance the Horns of Taal before they can get on with the pillaging.

The only problem was, this here baron was also a bit lax when it came to keeping his fortifications maintained. Wasn’t great on spending money to build ‘em, neither. If you reckon this place looks bad now, it’s an improvement on what he stumped up for. Regardless, by the time the greenskins finally did come a-knocking at the door, neither keep was able to offer much in the way of resistance, although the garrisons surely tried.

There’s a persistent rumour that one of two castellans even retained a hedge wizard to aid in the defence … Only the scruffy old fool ended up calling on rather more of the Winds of Magic than he intended. Routed the greenskins and cursed the fortress at the same time. Nasty business, or so I understand. All tentacles, screams and inky black madness that even a northlander’d baulk at.

Both keeps were abandoned soon after that. Can’t blame anyone for that – the only thing that comes close to living in a cursed keep is having to stare at it across the valley. Step a bit closer to the present day, and one of them collapses from disrepair, its stones nicked to build that lovely bridge down in the valley. The trouble is, I can’t rightly tell which keep collapsed, and which one was left standing … not that the one left standing what you might call good nick. Records are as vague as a Tilean’s wedding vows, if you take my meaning? But I do have my suspicions. Olesya says the Winds of Magic blow strong around here, and that can’t be coincidence, can it?

Still, I’m sure the others’ll let me know if they start hearing voices, won’t they?

The 3-Year Anniversary of Warhammer: Vermintide 2’s launch on PC is just around the corner, and with that, we of course want to celebrate! Vermintide 2 officially launched on PC on March 8, 2018.

Between March 5 - March 14 players on PC will be able to play the celebratory mission ‘A Quiet Drink’, earn Double XP all throughout the Anniversary, and we will be doing daily giveaways over on the Vermintide Twitter.

[h2]A NOTE FROM THE DEVELOPERS[/h2]

These past 3 years have gone by super quickly, and we are humbled and grateful for each and every one of you. Without you, our players, we would not have been able to continue with the development of Vermintide 2 and now Darktide as well. Thank you for all of your feedback, fan art, bug reports, streaming, and of course, thank you for loving Vermintide 2. Let’s celebrate together to highlight the past 3 years, and the years to come!

/The Vermintide 2 Team