Deadlock and Deadlock’s lore can be found largely in character descriptions, voice lines, the environment on the Deadlock map, and the associated visual novels in The Library.
Deadlock’s storyline
The events of Deadlock main setting take place during an event known as the second Maelstrom during the 1900s. The game’s actual storyline, however, stretches much further back, as far as the Salem Witch Trials according to Vindicta‘s background wherein she was murdered by John Hathorne.
Deadlock’s actual setting may have appeared mundane to the average citizen at one point until, in the late 1800s, the first Maelstrom arrived. This Maelstrom was a celestial event which “introduced the supernatural to the public at large” and returned Vindicta to life. However, the supernatural were very much present prior to the first Maelstrom, as evidenced by Warden‘s ancestors:
“Most people think the supernatural came into the world 50 years ago. They’re wrong. Its presence shaped folklore for generations… and as long as there have been people afraid of the shadows, there have been those who dedicated their lives to fighting in them.”
Regardless of what form the supernatural took prior to the first Maelstrom, the celestial event reshaped everything from the top to the bottom of society.
“When the Maelstrom first hit New York, it didn’t just usher in a new age of mysticism to the world… it changed geopolitics. From CIA employed seers identifying threats decades before they rise to power to occult pacts made in smoky backrooms; countless wars and atrocities have been prevented that would otherwise have shaped history.” – Wrecker
For the public, acceptance of the supernatural was likely caused in part due to the appearance of the Astral Gates – celestial doorways born during the emergence of the first Maelstrom. Seven Astral Gates are confirmed, with one more rumored to exist in the Arctic. From at least one these gates, monsters spring forth. An Astral Gate existing in The Deep – an area within the Bermuda Triangle – released the Loch Ness monster, and something so terrifying that Viscous sought out the Patrons in order to keep The Deep safe.
However, the nature of the Astral Gates is not so clear cut as being simple portals to other worlds. Those who encounter the Astral Gates run the risk of undergoing radical changes. Dynamo was atomised and reduced to a tiny star by the gate in Central Park, while Kelvin returned frozen and seemingly undead after his possible encounter with the theoretical eighth gate.
It is unclear what else the first Maelstrom might have unleashed, but, 50 years after the first Maelstrom, the second seemed to bring with it two Patrons – mysterious god-like beings said to possess wish-granting powers. However, it seems that the Patrons are at war with one another for their own nebulous goals. Two cults – the Amber Hand and the Sapphire Flame – vie for the destruction of the other’s ritual, with each of Deadlock’s characters serving one of the Patrons.
However, not every hero who competes does so because they have a wish they desire granted. Warden, for one, has been trained since birth for one purpose: to stop the Patrons from entering the world. It is unlikely that the motivations of the Patrons are pure of heart, and several characters possess wishes that could prove disastrous to the world if granted.
Where Deadlock’s story goes during and beyond the ritual remains to be seen, and may well be dependent on who comes out on top, whose wishes are granted, or if the Patrons ultimately fall.
The Cursed Apple
The city of The Cursed Apple, otherwise known as New York City, is an alternate 1900s version of New York City featuring four distinct streets which operate as lanes in-game:
- York Avenue (Yellow)
- Greenwich Street (Green)
- Broadway (Blue)
- Park Avenue (Purple)
An Astral Gate is known to exist within Central Park, and it is possible that, by proximity, the Patrons originated from this specific Astral Gate.
There is a ton of lore buried within each character’s individual bio, so make sure to check out our full list of Deadlock characters.
