Shadow of Nerekhall is the newest expansion for Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition and offers players a chance to delve deep into the heart of a dark and insidious mystery.

The city of Nerekhall holds an evil reputation throughout the civilized lands of Terrinoth. It was once a thriving center of learning, but nearly destroyed itself by dabbling in forbidden magic and summoning demonic forces. The evils were defeated, and officials claim the city has distanced itself from its past. Still, strange events have plagued Nerekhall in recent days. Now it’s up to Terrinoth’s heroes to determine whether outside forces are infiltrating Nerekhall, or if the city itself is corrupt.

Shadow of Nerekhall introduces an entirely new campaign with nineteen possible quests set in the city of Nerekhall. For the first time in Descent Second Edition, the heroes are not questing through cursed forests, subterranean labyrinths, or moldering ruins. Instead, the noble heroes must adventure and battle evil within taverns, backstreet alleys, market squares, and universities. This expansion also introduces four heroes, offering a range of new talents and abilities well-suited to the new hero classes: Bard, Conjurer, Shadow Walker, and Skirmisher.

~ The City’s Darkness ~

In the Shadow of Nerekhall expansion, the overlord’s plots are more devious and conniving than ever before. Within the heart of the city, the overlord’s greatest minions work in secret while they advance the myriad layers of his latest schemes, subtly subverting Nerekhall. Meanwhile, new monsters emerge: mechanical ironbound, huge and powerful infernael hulks, and another deceptive, new monster – the changeling – which gains powers when the overlord uses his new Corrupt Citizen cards.

Changelings are dangerous opponents for any hero, powerful and fast in combat and tough to destroy. With his Corrupt Citizen cards, the overlord can use the changelings to add more and more layers to his plots, keeping the heroes edgy and off-balance. With every victory in Nerekhall, the overlord’s power waxes, and his changelings gain the ability to take on new forms, impersonating magicians, executioners, guardsmen, or even heroes.

Even as changelings plague the heroes’ footsteps, the overlord sows the seeds of greater uncertainty with the new influence mechanic. Influence allows the overlord to significantly change the plot of a quest. At the beginning of a quest, the overlord may be given a list of options paired with influence tokens. By secretly choosing among these options, the overlord determines a significant piece of the quest, such as the loyalty of a guard captain, or the location of a deadly monster. If the heroes can determine the truth, they’ll find themselves better prepared for coming events, but if they’re deceived, their ignorance may lead them straight into the overlord’s clutches.

~ Agents of Evil ~

Because the overlord’s schemes and deceptions are too sophisticated to be entrusted to mere monsters, he calls upon more cunning and malevolent agents as he spreads his shadows, and in Shadow of Nerekhall, four new lieutenants answer his call: Rylan Olliven, Tristayne Olliven, Verminous, and Gargan Mirklace. Furthermore, for the first time in the history of Descent Second Edition, the corresponding Descent Lieutenant Packs for these powerful lieutenants will be released simultaneously with the campaign in which they appear.

Descent Lieutenant Packs allow you to replace your lieutenant tokens with detailed plastic figures. They also allow the overlord more options to harry the heroes with monsters, traps, and other dangers. The overlord can choose to use any one lieutenant’s ten-card Plot deck through the course of a campaign.

For example, if the overlord chooses to use Tristayne Olliven’s Unstable Forces Plot deck, he gains access to powerful chaotic and necromantic powers. With the help of Tristayne’s Plot deck, the overlord can inspire his master monsters to deal increased damage, or he can sacrifice them for the good of his cause. Together, Tristayne’s necromantic powers and the abilities in Tristayne’s Plot deck provide another powerful layer to the overlord’s plans for dominance.

Also, Explosive Fall punishes heroes for focusing all their melee attacks against a single monster as it forces the heroes to take damage when the monster is destroyed. Mortal Coil allows the overlord to raise a master monster from the dead, and use it to oppose the heroes and destroy Nerekhall once more. Love of Chaos allows the overlord to destroy a master monster in order to gain more threat tokens, which he can then spend to trigger other effects later in the campaign. Later, those threat tokens could trigger Onslaught during a key encounter, and permit each monster in a single group to take two attack actions on its turn.

Each Lieutenant Pack introduces its own Plot deck, designed to match the personality of its lieutenant, so if the abilities that Tristayne brings to the table aren’t quite those you seek, you can always rely more heavily upon Rylan Olliven, Verminous, or Gargan Mirklace.

~ Turn Back the Night ~

A new darkness is rising within Nerekhall, and a small band of heroes are the only ones who can drive to the heart of the overlord’s plan and stop its evil advance. Players will discover a vast new campaign and dark new mysteries in Shadow of Nerekhall. Meanwhile, with the introduction of four corresponding Descent Lieutenant Packs, the overlord’s strength only grows stronger. Soon, all of Nerekhall will quake before the massive struggle between the forces of good and the agents of evil!