With the release of Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings by Para Bellum drawing ever closer, we have been gradually introduced to the two factions of the Starter Box, the Spires and the Hundred Kingdoms.

During our interview with Leo from Para Bellum, we learned of the fearsome Dweghom and the indomitable Nords, in the form of concept art, teasing us about their background. With our anticipation built up, we could not stop there. After some prodding and impeccable ninja work, we managed to secure these fleeting images for you, along with some insight into their lore too.

The Dweghom

Originally created as a servitor race by the Dragons, the Dweghom broke generations of slavery by subsuming the raw essence of War and its elemental prison.

Such power proved both a blessing and a curse. The Dweghom brought the Dragons, their remaining loyal servants and, in the end, even themselves near to extinction. Retreating into Holds like the one above, the Dweghom kept the memory of their past alive. Enter these guys, The Ardent Preachers.

The animosity and untamable power of War are embraced by these fanatics and I personally cannot wait to see them spread the word of their patron on the battlefield...

With such a violent history, not to mention zealots like the Preachers in play, we wondered who could keep order in a Dweghom Hold. Para Bellum delved deeper into the society of a Dweghom Hold and talked of how it is based entirely on individual worth and therefore the ruler can only be the most worthy. That's where the Thanes come in...

We’ll leave your thoughts on the Thanes up to interpretation but as you might be able to tell, they look like powerful individuals who could lay waste to whole units.

The Nords

The other faction, the Nords, are denizens of Mannheim which is a small frozen continent in, you guessed it, the North. The end of days came and went for these hardy people. They have endured Ragnarok, their end of days, the death of their gods and the rule of ice giants, only to rise anew, stronger than ever. Led by the Einherjar, their awoken chosen ancestors, they live hand-in-hand with monsters that others dread, while leading them to raids all over the world.

While beautiful, this idyllic concept did not exactly convince us about their menacing, raiding ways. However, then we met this fellow, the Nord Giant!

It goes without saying, we were much more convinced. Upon further prodding for more, Para Bellum yielded somewhat...

"Of course there’s more! This is a fantasy world and, as such, it is filled with fantasy races. We have the undead coming soon,  savage semi-primitives with an affinity to War, oriental emperors and warlords, near-immortals who bond with the land, a magocratic cabal ruling over the barren continent that they themselves have raised… and those are just the next few.

We built an entire world based on reading and enjoying the same books you have, having been raised with and forged by the same fantasy culture. All the beloved tropes are there, woven into the fabric of our own world.”

All these definitely sound interesting and considering their approach to the existing factions, we are eager to see more. Before that, we will have the chance to learn more about Conquest’s lore very soon. Stay tuned!

Which of these upcoming factions appeal more to you?