Bloodlust

Theories

Harmonia is Rebuilding

On page 10 of the Prima Strategy Guide, King Reginald reveals some lore to us. In a public statement to his subjects, he asks them to resettle Harmonia. You see, according to him, it was "tragically marred by Monsters and Infernal creatures". Thus, it can be inferred that Harmonia has only scraped by with the help of the Portal Gems. Why is your goal only to reach the surface? The question answers itself. Harmonia's on borrowed time and it's unable to defend itself for any longer.

How is Horny special?

This is one of our oldest questions about the game. Why is it that the reapers were in this mysterious Dungeon Keeper 1 but not here. As with other cut content, I theorise this was steeped in balancing issues. But surely, one can ponder about the nature of Horny? Is he a reaper prince? An especially ruthless general? Or simpler than both of these, is he the only reaper around?

Keeper Proxy War Theory

It’s no secret that evildoers love to fight evildoers. Dungeon Keeper 2 takes this idea from its predecessor and goes further with it. In 1, you were a lone Keeper clawing your way through the realm. You had two mentors, but they both served you. The enemy Keepers you met were few, far-between and not particularly bright.

In 2, it’s a different story. Here you’re an up-and-coming Keeper that’s been hand-picked for the bloodbath. Your Mentor isn’t a loving underling this time, he’s a commanding force that wants you to do his bidding. But he’s not alone, there’s others watching from afar as he pulls the strings. Notice how all throughout the campaign he uses “We”? His use of “We” implies that he’s in a sort of in-universe faction, and thus, the picture completes itself. Older, more experienced Keepers are fighting elaborate proxy wars with one another. You just so happen to be one of their shiny new toys.

King Reginald is a Usurper

You think Reginald would be the epitome of all things good and virtuous. Everyone's so tropey and saccharine, he'd have to be. Unfortunately for his subjects, page 69 of the Prima Strategy Guide begs to differ. Instead, Reginald became king through some good old fashioned patricide.

"When Reginald was a boy, he was sat upon his father’s knee and told that one day, he would be king. He was told of the riches that he would earn, the power he would wield, and also of the hardship and work he would have to put in to be a wise and just king. Then King Colin, Reginald’s father, took him to the highest point in Harmonia, and showed him what would be Reginald’s after his father’s death. The young Reginald’s eyes lit up, and as he drew out the dagger from his father’s back, he knew that he was now ready to be a king."

Lord Bramble Vampire Theory

An especially niche theory revolves around Lord Bramble of Goldenglade. I found this theory on the Dungeon Keeper Wiki, specifically its Lord of the Land article. The theory goes as follows:

“Theoretically Lord Bramble in-universe could have become a Vampire who may have survived the keeper vs keeper feud in the area and left though a portal once Malachai was defeated.”

Ignoring whether this was the intent of the game’s creators, I’ll give it plenty of points for creativity. But, I doubt our Mentor would get things wrong. To me, Lord Bramble got turned into vampire food.

Mentor Promotion Theory

The Mentor in this game is more like a master and he's not afraid to remind you of it. If you fail a level, you won't just lose, you'll be lambasted. If you fail Stonekeep, he'll say "You've failed me for the last time, Keeper!". Contrast this to his previous appearance in Dungeon Keeper 1, wasn't he so tender? In 1, he was downright affectionate in his tone, even going so far as to call you "Master". Now this is where the theory comes in. Judging by this contrast, would it be outlandish to assume that he got promoted to a higher position? Interestingly enough, I'm not even the only fan who believes in this theory.

"The relationship between you and him seems to be different to before: while it seems similar or even more intimate most of the time, should you displease him by failing to meet his expectations, some of his lines suggest that you are answerable to him in some fashion, as opposed to him merely being your guide." - The Dungeon Keeper Wiki's Mentor Page

Besides the wiki, several users on Keeper Klan speak about this on a 2010 forum thread. Below are some of the most interesting posts.

"Dk2 Mentor definitely has the feel of a mentor. You can get that from just listening to the briefings and debriefings. You got the feel that there was some kind of powerful partnership between Mentor and Keeper. That is one of the reasons I always thought Horny was the DK2 Mentor. That and the fact he has the necessary power and evil credentials." - User MeinCookie

"Maybe the mentor could be a keeper but just can't be bothered to do all the work. Or he does not want to end up killed by a bunch knights in shiny armor." - User Heineken

"I always saw the mentor as like an older keeper who wasn't powerful enough to do conquesting any more or had been defeated and was helping you as a way of getting revenge." - User Stephanos

Mistresses are Succubi

Would you be surprised?

Salamanders are Prehistoric

On page 44 of the Prima Strategy Guide, a salamander gives us some lore. For the question "What do you want to get out of your position?", the reptile replies with: "To see the blood of the world once more run red and hot, as it did in the ages before the mammals came". This implies that salamanders are comparable to real-world dinosaurs.

Salamander Demonspawn Subspecies Theory

Salamanders are mechanically identical to the previous game’s Demon Spawn. They’re both projectile-spitting reptiles that love to train. Could they be the result of speciation? Or with the above theory in mind, are Salamanders ancestors of the Demon Spawn?

Sleeping Creature Glitch

This glitch was discovered by German speed-runner and former world-record holder Oberdulli. By casting Possession onto a sleeping creature, you can make it invisible.

The Mentor's Favourite Creature

I personally think he favours Mistresses and Salamanders. He speaks with a very fond tone when he introduces them in My Pet Dungeon. To add some weight to this, he'll react with shock if you sacrifice any mistresses to the Unholy Temple.

Warlocks are Elves

In the 3D-animated cutscenes, the Warlocks are shown to have elven ears. Are they elves that became evil?

What are the Dungeon Keepers?

There are no canonical depictions of Keepers in any shape or form. Are they evil sorcerers, hideous demonic creatures or ethereal ghost-like entities? The closest sign of appearance is the Hand of Evil, the player's cursor. Now onto what is known about Keepers. When dungeon hearts are destroyed, Keepers don't seem to be outright killed. The terms "banished" and "defeated" are used more than "killed". An exception to this is Nemesis, who'll cry that his sons have been "slain" when you destroy their dungeon hearts. As for you, the mentor can still scold you when you fail a level. If you fail Storm, he'll tell you that Reginald's forces will have you imprisoned. So, dungeon heart destruction isn't so much a "death" as much as it's a banishment, or a reduction of a Keeper's strength. As for Nemesis' sons, these two are implied to be young, inexperienced keepers. As a result, they could have been too weak to endure having their hearts destroyed. Onto the term "banishment", perhaps Dungeon Keepers use them as anchors to the mortal plane. This would also help to explain why the term "banished" is used the way it is, at least, in some instances of keeper defeat.

What are the Dark Gods?

Dark Gods are mentioned throughout the game, but we don't know what they are. Are these the patron gods of Keepers and creatures? Did they create the portals that you get your creatures from? Did they create the plane that your creatures come from? They never seem to cross over into the mortal realm, is this out of choice or is it because they're unable to? Are there hero gods stopping them? Do they need the keepers to invade the hero realms on their behalf?

What happened to the Princes?

We never learn of what happened to Balder, Felix and Tristan after their torture. Did they settle into their new lives, or did they outlive their usefulness?

What happens to Unholy Temple sacrifices?

Are their bodies torn asunder by the magical waters? Are they consumed by the Dark Gods themselves? What happens to their energies? After all, energy can't be created or destroyed, only transferred. Perhaps they reincarnate to the creatures that come out from the pool? Or, maybe it's more abstract. Maybe they turn into the very mana that courses through the temple?

What is the Netherworld?

The place creatures come from is dubbed "The Netherworld". But what actually is it? Is it merely a shelter for evil, or the very bowels of hell itself? Given the Salamanders are ancient creatures that used to roam the mortal realm, perhaps it's more the former?