Nevergrim is a memorable piece of underworld topography. Open lava and spacious, snowy landmasses dominate the region, and the only solid walls in the entire level are those surrounding the two Dungeon Hearts.
The openness seems to clarify matters for the usually-benighted Blue Keeper, for this opponent is likely to connect to your territory and launch an invasion as soon as he can.
The ruler of Nevergrim is Lord Healey,[1] but he and his stalwarts are mysteriously absent from this level.
Even if working only with the level's natives, it is still possible to execute a rush: dump all Imps near the Portal closest to the Blue Keeper and race to claim the nearby neutral Dragon from the west lava; using him, burn down the blue Heart with the fully-automatic Flame Breath you get during possession.
Building[]
If Blue Keeper is left untroubled, he runs a remarkably effective operation in Nevergrim. He has the most aggressive/pragmatic AI, and there are no particularly weak creatures in the pool that hog up his creature limit and training space. This Keeper is likely to field a force equal in strength to Red unless the player does everything he does, but faster. As is customary, Blue is likely to start issuing taunts and building bridges towards Red once he reaches his creature limit of 20. Make sure to obtain the two Increase Levels before that time.
The Guard Post is especially useful for increasing the efficiency of rooms— and particularly the Training Room— in this realm without walls.
The Workshop is unnecessary. There are no corridors for its products to be deployed in, no Trolls in the creature pool, and no time for a workshop economy to even pay for the Workshop before a victor is decided. The room would be only for players who hang around before moving on to the next level.
The Scavenger Room is something of a time sink on this level. The only decent scavengers here, Warlocks and Dragons, will swarm in anyway.
New Dungeon Features[]
A number of formal introductions are made here: the Scavenger Room, the Keeper Spells Cave-In and Chicken, the Dragon (though in the previous mission Dragons could be obtained via training Demon Spawn past level 10) and Hellhound (who actually first appeared as a neutral in Tickle). There are some new Workshop products made available: the Lava Trap, Boulder Trap, and Magic Door, which should all prove to be entirely useless in this wide-open region.
Messages[]
Briefing Text
"Elsewhere in this fiery realm you have a rival Keeper to contend with. I advise extreme antisocial behaviour on your part."
Scavenger Room
"Your tireless librarians have researched the Scavenger Room. Creatures placed within a Scavenger Room will lure their kin from other dungeons and the outside world, into your domain."
Cave-In
"With typical brilliance, you have researched the Cave-In spell. Use it to block off passages and repair dungeon breaches. Interestingly, the rockfall will crush to death any creatures caught beneath it."
Dragon
"Your great wealth has bought the loyalty of a passing Dragon. They are fickle creatures. Keep your eye on this one."
Hellhound
"A Hell Hound has been lured to your domain by your Scavenger Room."
Boulder Trap
"You have a manufactured a Boulder Trap. Place it in a corridor and howl deliriously as it rumbles inexorably towards unwary trespassers."
(But where are the corridors?)
Player defeats Blue Keeper
"Notch up another victory, most malicious one. You have another land to add to your dismal collection."
Sound Bytes[]
"Nevergrim. Unable to see the bad side of anyone, these folk could benefit from a swinging sword to the back of the neck, or possibly a Lightning spell in the throat. Such possibilities never cross their happy minds."
"Rivalmark. A kingdom fit for a Dungeon Keeper of your standards, Sire. The blackened hulks of the houses welcome you, and the overgrounders prostrate themselves... mainly because we've killed them."
— Canon Outro
Trivia[]
This realm's outtro speech file, BAD10.WAV, makes more sense if renamed to BAD09.WAV to correspond with Moonbrush Wood. Hearth's outro file, BAD11.WAV (Rivalmark), makes more sense renamed to 10 to match up with Nevergrim. These files are in the game subdirectory \SOUND\ATLAS\.
Lord Healey may be a reference to Mark Healey, the game's lead artist.
The names for this level in other languages are as follows:
Translations: Nevergrim
Language
Translation
French
Toujouraville
Italian
Mai Severo
German
Nimmerbös
Dutch
Zonnevang
Polish
Niesmuta
Czech
Swedish
JÄMTSNÄLL
Russian
Невергрим
Japanese
ネバーグリム
Chinese
无忧小城 / 永乐国
Mismatched OC soundbytes
Intro
Matching File
Reasoning
GOOD01.WAV
BAD01.WAV
Anthrax
GOOD02.WAV
BAD02.WAV
Mention of Demon Spawn
GOOD03.WAV
BAD03.WAV
Inhabitants' altered viewpoints
GOOD04.WAV
BAD18.WAV
Mention of Trolls
GOOD05.WAV
BAD05.WAV
The quietude broken by screams
GOOD06.WAV
BAD07.WAV
What became of the bunnies
GOOD07.WAV
BAD08.WAV
Lady Catherine
GOOD08.WAV
BAD09.WAV
War arrived
GOOD09.WAV
BAD10.WAV
The legions of Hell rode in
GOOD10.WAV
BAD11.WAV
Inhabitants' violent death
GOOD11.WAV
BAD06.WAV
Feeding on the dead?
GOOD12.WAV
BAD13.WAV
Fairy ring
GOOD13.WAV
BAD14.WAV
Being together, in a mass grave
GOOD14.WAV
BAD15.WAV
Sleepy farms got "developed"
GOOD15.WAV
BAD16.WAV
Undead massacre
GOOD16.WAV
BAD17.WAV
No more flowers
GOOD17.WAV
BAD12.WAV
Razed completely
GOOD18.WAV
BAD19.WAV
A great battle
GOOD19.WAV
BAD04.WAV
Poisonous fumes
GOOD20.WAV
BAD20.WAV
Skybird Trill named
Gallery[]
Raw revealed map
References[]
↑ 1.01.1Prima's Official Guide To Dungeon Keeper Gold Edition. pp. 178-181.
Prima Publishing. (1998).
ISBN 978-0-7615-1581-4.
Warlock
Hound
Dark Mistress
50. 
60. 
70. 