Varangian Guards are the protectors of the Empyrean Royal family, possessing fighting prowess as rich as their compensation. Unlock this new troop of fighters in Conqueror’s Blade: Helheim via new Unit Challenges!


To mark the Varangian Guards’ release, you can arm them with the exclusive North Star Shield until July 24 (23:59 server time/23:59 CEST) in-game or via MY.GAMES Market. This item will never be sold again, so grab it while you can!

The northern aurora is indelibly etched into the hearts of the Varangian Guards, and their North Star Shields display this beautiful sight. They know that one day they will return home with treasure, and once again greet the gods beneath that shimmering night sky.

Varangian Guards can be unlocked by completing Seasonal Unit Challenges and come with a Seasonal Bonus in the form of Leadership requirements decreased by 10 points for the duration of Helheim.
Varangian Guards are heavy infantry soldiers, deemed to be the finest warriors the North has to offer. Well-equipped with swords, shields, and two-handed axes, they are the ultimate deterrent to threats against the realm. These mercenaries swore an oath to protect the royal Empyrean family, and maintain the stability of the kingdom while doing so.

The Varangian Guards are devoted but deadly and use their highly effective Rage mechanic to strike fear into the hearts of enemies.

Able to wield both defensive swords and shields and offensive axes, this unit can switch between protecting and attacking with ease.
While this band of fighters may appear to be invincible, once their Rage is spent, they must return to wielding far less dangerous swords and shields and resign themselves to protecting their commander instead of all-out brawling.

Formations

• Dispersed: The unit forms a spread-out square formation to lessen the impact of ranged attacks.
• Shield: The guards stand in a tight defensive formation, countering frontal attacks, and enhancing impact resistance.

Unit Traits

• Northlander Legend: Leadership cost is reduced by 10 points during Helheim.
• Attack and Defence: While wielding swords, the unit can build up rage by taking damage and defeating heroes. While wielding axes, the unit can spend rage by using skills.
• Fire-Resistant: The Varangian Guards’ armour is less vulnerable to thermal weapons than other units of the same era.

Unit Orders

• Unbreakable: While the Varangian Guards are holding up their shields, movement and attack speed is reduced by 30%, and damage taken is reduced by 30%. After a successful block, damage taken is reduced by 60% for 1 second.
• Raging Onslaught: The unit pulls out their two-handed axes, increasing armour penetration and damage by 300 points, and gaining new rage skills.
• Great Sweep: The unit consumes 30% Rage to make a horizontal sweep with their axes, gaining control immunity for 2 seconds. Soldiers with less than 50% Health will get a 50% damage boost and 20% of their maximum health will be restored, and will also knock down enemies.
• Colossal Strike: The unit consumes 30% Rage to initiate a full-power attack, gaining control immunity for 2 seconds. Soldiers with less than 50% Health will get a 50% damage boost and 20% of their maximum health will be restored, and will also knock down enemies.
• Shatter Shields: The unit consumes 40% Rage to charge the enemy and attack with axes, gaining control immunity for 2 seconds. Soldiers with less than 50% Health will get a 50% damage boost, and 20% of their maximum health will be restored. They will also knock down enemies. When all Rage has been consumed, this skill will end, and the unit will return to wielding swords and shields.

Varangian Guards are available to unlock via Unit Challenges now.

NOTE: The above information is correct as of the time of publication. Please check in-game for the most up-to-date Unit information.

While Loki may be known in popular culture as the mischievous brother of a certain Chris Hemsworth character, his real origin is far from that of the Hollywood blockbusters or comic book pages. In Norse mythology, Loki is a wily trickster god included in the Æsir pantheon (the tribe of gods), cheating his fellow deities, pulling pranks, and shapeshifting, but also aiding his peers on many occasions.

Let’s explore the fact vs fiction surrounding the mythological god himself.
Loki’s relationship to Thor in Norse mythology is far removed from his adoptive sibling connection to the god of thunder in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although recognised as a god in Norse mythology, Loki’s parentage is up for debate. Some stories report his father to be a jötunn (giant) named Fárbauti and his mother as the goddess Laufey—-not the adopted son of Odin and Frigga as depicted by Marvel.

In fact, Loki was represented in the legends as a companion of Odin and Thor, adventuring alongside them and using his intelligence to help (or even hinder) them. While Thor and Loki’s love/hate relationship is a key point in Marvel lore, in Norse legend, Thor grew to eternally hate Loki after one too many betrayals.


An image of the Loki from Norse mythology from the 18th-century Icelandic manuscript "SÁM 66"
Whether or not Loki is ‘evil’ is contentious, as his Norse legend tells of a complicated character indeed. While he may be untrustworthy (thanks to all the shapeshifting and pranking), he is not inherently evil in Norse mythology and even displays a good-natured side every now and again.

An example of this is a story from a poem in the Poetic Edda, where Thor awakens to find his magical hammer, Mjölnir, missing, and Loki offers to help him find it. Loki asked Freya for her magic feathery cloak, which would allow him to fly, which he then did to Jötunheimr to confront the king, Thrym. Thrym had indeed stolen the hammer and hidden it beneath the earth. In order to return it, he wanted Freya’s hand in marriage.

When Loki told the gods of this unfavourable deal Thrym had offered, Heimdall proposed that Thor disguise himself as Freya, go to Jötunheimr, and reclaim the hammer. Thor objected, but Loki convinced him to go through with the plan. Loki also dressed up as a maidservant, and together they gained access to Thrym’s hall.

Thrym believed the disguised gods to be women, that is until Thor’s ‘healthy’ appetite got the better of him. Presented with a feast, Thor devoured as much meat and mead as he could, leading to questions from Thrym about his new bride’s behaviour, but not before moving in for a smooch. Loki quickly eased the tension by offering an explanation for ‘Freya’s’ mood swings, citing;

“No sleep has Freyja for eight nights found,

So hot was her longing for Jotunheim.”

Ultimately, the scheme worked perfectly, and Thor snatched back his hammer from Thrym.

While that story may paint Loki as helpful without an ulterior motive, let’s not ignore his many wicked deeds.

One of the most famous of Loki’s antics was when he cut off all of Sif’s beautiful blonde hair. Sif was Thor’s wife, known for her flowing locks, and when Thor learned of Loki’s prank, his rage was untethered. In an effort to save his own hide, Loki made a desperate promise to find replacement hair for Sif. Loki travelled to the home of the Black Elves, Svartalfheim, to find a craftsman to make new hair for Sif.

However, seeing the treasures crafted by the people of this land, Loki had a devious idea. Loki mocked the dwarf brothers Brokkr and Sindri, claiming their craftsmanship was not as masterful as others, and the dwarves took the bait. The wager presented was simple yet lethal—Loki’s head if they could not make perfect creations. After toiling at their forge, they presented Loki with three magical items—-Gullinbursti (a golden-maned boar), Draupnir (a golden ring that replicated itself), and Mjölnir, the hammer which became Thor’s.

Loki returned to the Norse gods, giving Sif the hair and distributing the other treasures among the Æsir. He gifted Thor with the mighty Mjölnir. Having won the bet, Brokkr went to claim Loki’s head, but Loki had already fled.


A Loki cosplayer (Marvel’s Avengers version) at Stan Lee's Comikaze 2014
Loki of the Marvel universe is conventionally good-looking and thin and shares that with descriptions of Loki in Norse mythology, who refer to him as handsome, charming, and attractive. Often described as having flowing red or blonde hair, the Norse version of Loki differs from the dark black locks of Marvel’s God of Mischief.

While Loki’s true appearance can’t be nailed down thanks to his habit of shapeshifting, no Norse mythology references a horned helmet at any point—chalk that one up to creative license on the part of Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby!

Check out our other Conqueror’s Tales on Viking and Norse mythology and culture, including their fine festivals and the origin of Thorsday.

Many days of the week are said to be named after ancient and mythical gods from around the world—from Saturday (Saturn - Roman) to Tuesday (Tiu - Germanic), but none is better known than the origin of Thursday. The English word ‘Thursday’ is named after the Norse god Thor (Thor’s Day), and stands as a testament to his relevance in mythology, ancient history, and popular culture.

The first known written instance of Thor’s existence in Norse mythology was in the seminal record of the Viking age, Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum by Adam of Bremen in the 11th century, who described Thor as the “mightiest” God, and that his subjects believed he “rules the sky; he governs thunder and lightning, winds and storms, fine weather and fertility".

Thor had big shoes to fill as the son of the Allfather, Odin, but the god of storms was not in his father’s shadow when it came to his strengths. As well as commanding rain, thunder, and lightning, Thor was also a protector of his people. Whether a guardian was needed for long sea voyages, or crops were failing and desperately needed rain, or warriors yearned for victory in battle, Thor was there to aid his subjects.

However, Thor didn’t have to go it alone with only the aid of his divine powers—his three magical items came in handy too. Thor wielded his hammer mighty (Mjolnir), his strength-doubling belt (Megingjörð), and his iron grippers (Járngreipr), which he needed to wield his hammer. He also had a couple of furry friends—Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, his magical goats who pulled his chariot and, in a dark turn, provided him with a tasty meal (though they were revived by Thor the next day).


Thor's Fight with the Giants by Mårten Winge (1872)

Many accounts of Thor’s bravery and reliability make him the perfect god to choose to bestow a namesake day upon, and his resilience throughout failure is an inspiration to many. Even when Thor is fooled or outwitted, this does nothing to dull his accomplishments, both past, present, and future in the eyes of his fellow gods and his worshippers.

So if you find yourself stuck indoors on a rainy Thursday afternoon, think of the exploits of the hammer-wielding thunder god and you might find yourself imbued with Asgardian levels of productivity!

As a new era begins in Conqueror’s Blade: Helheim, stay tuned for more Conqueror’s Tales from the Viking era!

If you can’t be better than your competition, just dress better! For a limited time only, you can equip Antique weapon skins inspired by the set in Season II: Wrath of the Nomads from the in-game Store.

Show off your retro style with weapon skins and exclusive bundles, available until July 14 (10:00 server time).
For the hero with an assorted arsenal, bundles of Antique weapon skins are available at a 10% discount:

• Wrath of the Nomads Sword Bundle: Harness the might of metal with the Antique Bronze Eagle Shortsword & Shield and the Antique Endless Prayer Longsword & Shield.
• Wrath of the Nomads Polearm Bundle: Control the distance between you and your enemies with the Antique Chieftain's Judgement Glaive, Antique Temujin's Strength Poleaxe, and Antique Jeda's Light Spear.
• Wrath of the Nomads Bow Bundle: Ranged raiders will want to bag the Antique Goldwolf Feather Bow and Antique Sunroot Short Bow.
• Wrath of the Nomads Specialist Bundle: For connoisseurs of the unconventional, wield the Antique Oyun Tulkhuur Nodachi, Antique Ancient Jezail Musket, and Antique Darqan's Friends Dual Blades.

IMPORTANT: All Bundles are subject to a purchase limit of 1. There are no Maul or Pike weapons featured in this set.

Once you’ve stocked up on summer steel, start your holidays with Conqueror's Blade and tune into Helheim Twitch Drops to earn cool rewards like the exclusive ‘Rage’ Emote until July 11.

Please be aware that from 08:00 CEST on July 7 (23:00 PDT on July 6), the Conqueror’s Blade servers will be inaccessible. The downtime is expected to last for 4 hours.

Please refer to the Patch Notes for documented changes. Meanwhile, stay tuned to our Discord channel in case of any immediate server updates.

Conqueror’s Blade: Helheim is here, and so are new Season-themed Spotify playlists!

Plunge into playlists inspired by Norse gods Thor and Loki, featuring classic rock from the legendary AC/DC, the melancholy melodies of HIM, and many more divine ditties to listen to when you’re preparing to sail your longboats to battle.

If you’re in the mood for more music, check out previous collections like our Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and Season-themed playlists over on the official Conqueror’s Blade Spotify page.

THORSDAY FEELING PLAYLIST

LOKI’S LAMENTS PLAYLIST

Conqueror’s Blade: Helheim is available now as a free update, so dive into the new season right now with the latest Battle Pass and adorn yourself in Loki and Thor-inspired Hero Attires!

The Northmen have landed in Conqueror’s Blade: Helheim, and the weather has followed. Reworked maps with rain, lightning, and thunder are now available to battle on, and we talked with Anton Mamhionov, Creative Director at Booming Tech, about the obstacles and experience of adding a storm to some of your favourite battlegrounds.

Where did the idea to rework existing maps to include new thunder and lightning weather effects come from?

It is largely about delivering the overall Viking mood – water, sea, boats, rain, and thunder. Our goal with those reworked maps was to create the atmosphere of a Viking invasion by using weather and music. By adding a new soundtrack that we specially composed for Broch Eastray, and a remixed version of Heilung’s ‘Alfadhirhaiti’, we hope it also contributes to players’ immersion.



What do you think these storms add to the overall gameplay experience?

Gameplay-wise, we added AI-controlled squads for defenders and attackers to change the match pacing compared to the original versions of those maps to shake up the experience. Weather effects also influence the effectiveness of ranged units, vision, and fire effect damage.

Did you face any obstacles when adding these weather effects to the maps?

We actually did, and it was related to team colours. The initial idea was to create a dark, unfriendly, and chaotic environment with heavy rain and lightning strikes that would cover maps with storms when Vikings would raid. But during tests, while it was really atmospheric, there was a problem recognising allies from enemies, and for a competitive online game, this aspect is quite important. It made us change the atmosphere design direction to a brighter, less-contrasting one.



Vikings historically raided the lands of Britain and France. After Highlanders and Paragons, we received feedback from some players and content creators that they didn’t have a chance to play on the new maps enough. We also decided to make some balancing corrections on those maps and thought that they fit perfectly with all of our goals—-express the raid message, let the players play on recently added maps, create new music and atmospheres, add AI, and make balance fixes on those maps.

Check out behind-the-scenes looks at Conqueror’s Blade: Helheim with our look at making a sequel season, and stay tuned for more articles coming soon!

What’s a Viking to do after a long, hard-fought battle? Come home and drink their fill of mead from a drinking horn, of course! The Viking Age (793–1066 AD) was an era of feasting and fighting, and thus a culture of raising a drink of mead high to thank the Norse gods for a victory or good harvest was born.
Vikings loved to drink after a battle and weren’t shy about the quantity. Mead was their tipple of choice, a strong drink made from water, honey, and assorted spices. Alcohol, in general, played an important role in their culture, and their parties and festivals cemented agreements and unions.

Aside from the celebratory drinking, mead was an essential part of life for the Vikings, and they would drink it all day long. As clean water was not always available, purified alcohol was safer to drink and had a lengthy lifespan, making it a perfect beverage to take on long sea-faring voyages. Ales, beer, and mead also gave the Vikings vital calories, as food was sometimes scarce, and energy was needed for their various raiding, pillaging, and farming activities.


A copy of a silver-mounted drinking horn found in a grave in Björkö, Adelsö, Uppland, Sweden (via The Swedish History Museum, Stockholm)
Vikings weren't the only avid drinkers; their gods were too! The Norse gods had a reputation for their penchant for alcohol, none more so than Thor. In one legend, Thor visits the giant Hymir to get a cauldron large enough for the gods to brew beer for a huge celebration. Like father like son, as Thor’s dad, Odin (the god of drink), was reported to not eat at all, only drink!

Odin was also to thank for mere mortals gaining access to this spiritual sauce. The story goes that the Norse gods created an all-knowing being named Ksavir, whose wisdom and teachings were spread across the land. However, his travels would come to an end when two dwarves, Fjallar and Gallar, killed Ksavir and mixed his blood with honey, creating the Mead of Poetry. It was said that anyone who drank the mead would be turned into a “poet or scientist". The Mead of Poetry eventually fell into the hands of Baugi and Suttung (who were jötunn brothers) until it was stolen by Odin, who only gave it to people worthy of drinking it.

Thanks to the numerous stories of the gods themselves enjoying a glass or two (or twelve), Vikings believed that being drunk was a spiritual state, one that connected them to their ancestors and even the gods themselves.

Explore the history that inspired Conqueror’s Blade: Helheim with our look at how you can participate in your own Viking-inspired Fine Festivals and much more to come!

Everything comes back into fashion! From now until July 7 (10:00 server time) you can arm yourself with antique weapon skins from Season I: Seize the Crown from the in-game Store.

Exhibit your vintage style with weapon skins and exclusive bundles from seasons past, available for a limited time only!
For the Warlord who keeps a varied armoury, bundles of Antique Weapons are also on offer at a 10% discount:

• Seize the Crown Sword Bundle: Seize the power of the steel swing with the Antique Ancestral Shortsword & Shield and the Antique Grandmaster's Longsword & Shield.
• Seize the Crown Polearm Bundle: For those warriors who prefer to keep their foes at arm's length, grab yourself the Antique Blue Dragon Glaive, Antique Warchief Poleaxe, and Antique Sunburst Spear.
• Seize the Crown Bow Bundle: If arrows are your bag (or quiver), this Bundle containing the Antique Myrmidon Bow and Antique Grasshopper Short Bow is for you.
• Seize the Crown Specialist Bundle: Spike, shoot, and slash with this Specialist Bundle, containing the Antique Noble Samurai Nodachi, Antique Gilded Musket, and Antique Serpentine Dual Blades.

IMPORTANT: All Bundles are subject to a purchase limit of 1. There are no Maul or Pike weapons for this set.

Stay cool over the summer with Conqueror's Blade, and take part in Plunder the Hoards events and sales until August 4, and don’t forget to tune into Helheim Twitch Drops to earn rewards including the exclusive ‘Rage’ Emote until July 11.

Prepare for sun, swag, and sales with a new limited-time event: Plunder the Hoards! Enjoy special activities, exclusive offers, and lots more in Conqueror’s Blade until August 8.
The legend of the North Star is rooted deep in the hearts of the Northman raiders in Conqueror’s Blade: Helheim. Its bright guiding light steers their longships to new pillaging opportunities, and you can use this celestial navigator to your advantage for rewards, too! Like any treasure hunt worth its weight in gold, there are a few steps to follow:

• Participate in Matchmaking Battles to earn Raiders’ Hoards.
• Earn Star Compasses through the Login Event, or purchase them via the in-game Store.
• Use your Star Compasses to crack open Raiders’ Hoards, and claim a random amount of Northland Treasure (and a chance to pick up the Fury of the North Attire directly!)
• Head to the Treasure Exchange to exchange Northland Treasure for exclusive and exciting rewards such as the Fury of the North Unit Attire, Musical Medusa Avatar, Wolves of Ragnarok Challenge Chest, and much more.

Matchmaking Drops (for Raiders’ Hoards) end July 14, and the exchange ends July 21.

IMPORTANT: Fury of the North Unit Attire can only be used by Berserkers. Wolves of Ragnarok Challenge Chest allows players to select one of the following items:

• x1 Sons of Fenrir Challenge Token
• x1 Berserker Challenge Token
• x1 Shieldmaiden Challenge Token

Ready the longboats to raid epic rewards! Take part in the following activities until August 8:

• Smuggler Steals: Don’t miss out on a chance to stock up on supplies, as the Smuggler is selling Steel Ingots and Rolls of Leather for only 500 Bronze each during Plunder the Hoards! You can purchase up to 100 per week, but be fast, as his supply is limited and he’ll run out of stock when the event ends on July 14.
• 14-day Login Event: Sign in to Conqueror’s Blade daily until July 21 to collect rewards that include Star Compasses, Silver Keys, Artillery Selection Boxes, and many more useful items!
• Zero to Hero: Grow your Hero level until August 8 and be rewarded with loot such as Silver Keys, an Epic Mount Schematic, and Long Claws Unit Attire (exclusive to Sons of Fenrir)!

Ransack the in-game Store until July 21 to secure 40% off the following bundles!

• Northlands Navigator Bundle: Follow your North Star to this sparkling bundle, containing 10 Star Compasses, 50 Unit Medals, 3 Greater Scrolls of Glory, and a coffer-bursting 3 Large Chests of both Bronze and Silver!
• Seafarer's Bundle: Prep your Northmen for the battles ahead! Includes 100 Unit Medals, 10 1-Battle Super Unit XP Cards, and 5 Large Chests of Bronze (10,000 Bronze each). (Purchase limit of 10)
• Captain's Bundle: Load your longship up with these treasures, containing 5 Large Chest of Bronzes (10,000 Bronze each), 5 Magistrate’s Memoirs, and 5 Rare Weapon Schematics Selection. (Purchase limit of 5)
• Silver Key Bundle: Stock up with 10 Silver Keys, and receive another Silver Key every day for a week! (Purchase limit of 1)
• Golden Key Bundle: Hoard your loot with 10 Golden Keys, and pick up another Golden Key every day for seven days! (Purchase limit of 1)

Make sure you’re making the most of your summer with Conqueror's Blade and tune into Helheim Twitch Drops, where you can earn rewards like the exclusive ‘Rage’ Emote, Silver Keys, Gold Dust, and more, just for watching our content creators until July 11.