A dark army emerges from the north, where mountains and ash cover the horizon, intent on spreading corruption, corrupting the creatures they encounter and wiping out any civilisation that refuses to join the aberrant Cult. This will lead to the androtopos (anthropomorphic rodents that inhabit the underground and caverns) being forced to invade the territories of the dwarves and their cities carved out of the mountains, in search of new burrows in which to survive and thrive. Other factions will also be affected by the relentless spread of fire and death left in its wake by the arrival of the Aberrant Cult; such as the elven forests, victims of the quest to recruit new creatures to add to their ranks, as well as seize areas with exceptional magical powers and devastate nature and life in their path.