Players will be thrust into the dark, war-torn world of Cairn where a once proud empire has been brought to ruin and the human race driven to the edge of extinction. Cairn has become ground zero of an eternal war between two otherworldly powers, one seeking to use human bodies as a resource, the other intent upon destroying the human race before that can happen. This cataclysmic war has not only decimated human civilization but is warping the very fabric of reality and, in its wake, giving life to new horrors.

For humankind it is the dawn of a grim new age where iron has replaced gold as currency and the importance of salt as a weapon makes it far too valuable to waste on food. Small enclaves of human survivors exist scattered throughout the world, holed up in hidden refuges. These humans have quietly watched the warring invaders destroy one another and have become wise to the strengths and vulnerabilities of their otherworldly foes. A few survivors have begun to exhibit strange new abilities after surviving possession or exposure to the warp. These unnatural powers are feared by some but give many new hope of launching a resistance to fight the "outsiders" and reclaim what's left of their world.

Grim Dawn's first expansion is in active development and with it come new areas, items and more.

Last week, patch v1.0.0.6 entered the testing phase, and it is on track for our late-September/early-October release timeframe. With this update, you will have 28 brand new items to hunt for as you battle across Cairn, or within Lokarr’s devious Crucible. In addition, over 90 Epic set items have been revised to better serve you as you hunt down Grim Dawn’s toughest foes. Beyond 1.0.0.6, we have an Aetherial roguelike in the works for v1.0.0.7 that will introduce new challenges, new items and a veritable ton of new lore to discover. All this is coming to all owners of Grim Dawn for free.

But that’s not all we’ve been working on here at Crate. An entire expansion has been in the works for some time now, and today we are pleased to begin unveiling some of what’s in store for you in Grim Dawn’s first expansion.

Beyond new areas to explore and items to find, new threats will arise for you to tackle. And the Aetherials have not been idle while you dealt with the vile Cult of Ch’thon. Far from where human eyes can see, their flesh shapers have been busily crafting new soldiers for their conquest of Cairn.

Aetherial Imps
The first of these new creations are the foul Aetherial Imps. Do not let their small stature fool you into a false sense of confidence. Their claws are sharp and their bodies full of bile. They move swiftly across the battlefield, unlike many of the slower reanimated Aetherial corpses, and hungrily devour any living thing that isn’t quick enough to evade their reach.

In many ways, they seem unlike the other creations of the Aetherials, not of singular purpose as the shambling corpses, but also not as conspiring as the reanimators and their ilk. How these corruptions came to be is a secret known only to the master flesh shapers.

Ugdenbog Spikeshell
It is said that travel north from Burrwitch is often faster than when traveling south. This phenomenon is largely due to the thorn-filled woods and toxic Ugdenbog that stretches far beyond the northern walls of the village. Carriage drivers whip their horses into a gallop; lone travelers go about with a hand on the hilt of their swords. Veer too far from the road and you may not be seen again as you vanish into the noxious fumes and bubbling waters.

If the sinking mud and pockets of poisonous gases won’t get you, then the wildlife surely will.

The tenacious spikeshells thrive in this environment, and they are known to hunt down human prey when the opportunity arises. Their naturally tough shells make tackling even one a tough battle. Wiping out the entire population would require a concerted effort, and the Grim Dawn saw to making that a logistical impossibility. The spikeshells thrive in this new untamed world.

Nobody goes into Ugdenbog willingly unless they have a death wish, or if they wish to disappear...