The Elves began to realize there was something seriously wrong with the Vai'Kesh forest when a lone Sangor first began terrorizing the outskirts of Aman'Lu. The primates of the forest were once known to be proud and gentle, but the twisted Sangor bears no resemblance to their noble kin. They have lost all ability to swing or even climb from trees and vines, and instead stalk the land like eerie hunched spiders seeking flesh and bone in place of berries and grass.

View a full-size image of the Sangor online.

Our Dungeon Siege II Lead Artist Kevin Pun has created
another awesome wallpaper for your computer desktop!
Download this wallpaper from DungeonSiege.com.


	When the tyrant Zaramoth and Azunai the Defender faced each other in battle at the end of the long rebellion, their conflict triggered the cataclysm that sundered the world. But the shifted stars and broken continents were not the only consequences of their battle. Zaramoth and his followers controlled the source of all magic, withholding it from the common people and using it to enforce their rule. When Zaramoth fell, those magical energies burst from their constraints radiated throughout the globe. A world which had been sheltered from magic for centuries was infused with sorcerous energy. Faerie lights appeared in the night sky, children were born with purple eyes, or white hair, and souls who died with unfinished business returned to haunt the living. The magic seemed drawn to strong emotion, and large concentrations of power pooled in locations of strife or upheaval. The forests and jungles of Aranna, so damaged by the cataclysm, attracted massive concentrations of magic. Some plants acquired magical properties, and new breeds of predators evolved. Most astounding of all, entirely new races began to emerge as if born from the pure magic expelled during the the great cataclysm. The people of Aranna struggled with the chaos of these mystical manifestations while simultaneously working to rebuild their lives on the shattered world. The first Combat Mages studied the major conduits of magic that now stretched through the continents, learning how to access that energy and harness it to useful forms. The first Nature Mages cultivated a symbiotic bond with the wild magic and spirits that were scattered throughout the world, using their blessings to improve the lives of their people. Though understanding of magic evolved, it remains an unpredictable force. It permeates everything in the world around us, and continues to gather in places and objects that are the focus of strong emotion or strife. Family heirlooms, often rings and jewelry, gradually develop magical properties as they are passed down across generations. Armor that saves its wearer's life in a mortal battle acquires small enchantments. The traveling warrior Ibsen Yamas emerged from the mountains after an ordeal of survival to find that the shield that protected him from the snow and wind had become a powerful artifact. And legend still tells of the lost armor of the Elven captain Lorethal, who protected his people from their sworn enemies for 20 years, before sacrificing everything to destroy the threat forever. Combat and Nature Mages are not the only scholars of how to bend mystic forces to the good of society. Animal teeth, gemstones, precious metals, and even some plants collect ambient magic energy, according to their nature. Skilled craftsmen and blacksmiths are able to weave the magic from these "reagents" in to the weapons and armor they create, granting them permanent special properties, like increased durability or the ability to burn opponents they strike. In the years after the cataclysm, powerful mages were able to find or create reagents that housed immense magical power and craft them in to weapons and armor of legendary strength, some of which survive to this day. Every child has heard the tale of Rubicon, who traveled to the center of the planet and stole the Fire Rubies from the Maljin king. Explorers like Rimen the White, who recovered the fossilized eye of the Dragon of the North and affixed it to the staff that bears his name, are inspirations to adventurers everywhere. Their tradition lives on today. In major towns it is often possible to find enchanters who will use reagents that adventurers discover in their travels to enchant items of their choice... for a price. Whatever disagreements there are about the nature of magic in Aranna, scholars concur that it is constantly moving and evolving. Perhaps its unpredictable nature will settle when it spreads evenly throughout the world, or perhaps it is in magic's nature to rebel against any cage of predictability. Only time will tell.


	Have you ever wanted to create your own Dungeon Siege fan website but didn't have the content to pull it off? Download the Dungeon Siege II Fan Site Kit and find out how easy it can be to build your own DS2 website.


	The Dungeon Siege Tool Kit has been updated! Version 1.7 contains several fixes and improvements, and is compatible with both Dungeon Siege (v1.11) and Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna (v1.5).


	The hard-working crew at SiegeNetwork.com hosted a moderated chat with members of the DS2 development team on September 8. A lot of great questions were asked and we tried our best to answer every single one. For a transcript of the chat session, please go to SiegeNetwork.com.


	Are you playing Fable on your Xbox? Check out the "Extras" on the Main Menu - you will find our E3 trailer there for your big-screen pleasure!

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