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From July 14 until July 21, visit the Smuggler to stock up on limited-time steals!

The Northmen raids often prove fruitful, and the warriors have returned from their latest excursion with treasures that the Smuggler has obtained through nefarious means, and now needs to sell as soon as possible…

One of these treasures is the brand-new Cult of the Four Stags Unit Attire, exclusive to the Shieldmaidens. According to Northlander mythology, Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr, and Duraþrór are the four stags that eat among the branches of Yggdrasil the World Tree. The cult that venerates them is likely a splinter group from the Cult of Freyja that most Shieldmaidens belong to.



Check out the Smuggler’s goods below:

• Smuggler’s Stash: For 8,000 Bronze Coins, you can get your hands on fabulous loot, including Cult of the Four Stags Unit Attire, precious resources like Amber, Moonstone, Garnet, and Turquoise, as well as plenty of Well-Made Artillery, Principles, and much more.
• Smuggler’s Treasure: Part with 4,000 Silver Coins to receive a bountiful bounty, including everything available in the Smuggler’s Stash, along with extra Optimal Artillery, Silk, Silver Keys, and much more.

IMPORTANT: The Smuggler’s Stash and Smuggler’s Treasure are subject to a purchase limit of 50 and 30 per day respectively, and items dropped are random. Principles can be transformed into Treatise at a rate of 100:1

There’s nothing better than heading into battle with a pal at your side, and the Conqueror’s Blade Referral Program is here to make your friendships even more fruitful! Refer friends, play together to complete tasks to earn Referral Points, then spend them in the Referral Shop.

Simply follow the three steps below, and start earning rewards!

1. Join the Referral Program
2. Collect Referral Points by referring friends and playing together
3. Spend your Referral Points in the Referral Shop for exclusive items!

When a friend joins with your Referral Link and confirms their email, you will receive 10 Referral Points and they will receive a Great Chest of Bronze, Rotmistrz's Horse Attire to use in-game, and 250 Referral Points to spend! Additionally, when a friend you refer (above level 50) purchases Sovereigns using the official Top-up, you'll also receive 5% of their top-up value!

Additionally, if you already referred friends in the previous version of the Referral System, we did our best to connect you with all the users you referred so far. They will become visible within your Referral System as soon as both you and they ‘join’ the new Referral Program. Once that is done, you can start collecting points together!

As part of Conqueror’s Blade Year Three celebrations, we asked you to put your creative skills to the test and design a banner—-and the results are in. Using the templates provided, our errant entrants flexed their sketching muscles, and now it’s time to dish out some well-deserved rewards!

The winners will receive 2,300 Sovereigns, the Exclusive Epic Title: ‘Rally to Me’, and a chance for their design to be added to the game! Honourable mentions will receive 525 Sovereigns.
[h2]FIRST PLACE[/h2]
Diane (EU2) submitted this elegant forest green and gold design in honour of three years of Conqueror’s Blade, earning the first-place prize. We can just imagine this regal flag flying high above a troop of Varangian Guards.



[h2]SECOND PLACE[/h2]
CrstalValkyrie (EU1) presented us with this picturesque monochrome cavalry combat scene, netting themselves second place.



[h2]THIRD PLACE[/h2]
Third place goes to Dragonov (EU2), who combined Nordic runes, dragons, and fire to create a banner worthy of any true Northman!



[h2]HONOURABLE MENTION[/h2]
Diane (EU2) also earns our honourable mention for their blood-red battle scene, depicting two more warriors on horseback fighting amidst the dramatic crimson sunset.



Thank you to everyone who designed a beautiful banner and produced all of our artistic entries. Stay tuned for more contests!

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!

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[h2]Exclusive Varangian Guards Shield[/h2]
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.

[h2]Unlocking[/h2]
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.
[h2]Background[/h2]
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.

[h2]Strengths[/h2]
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.
[h2]Weaknesses[/h2]
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.

[h2]Just the facts: Varangian Guards (5-Star)[/h2]
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.
[h2]A Thor Point[/h2]
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"
[h2]Norse-ty or Nice?[/h2]
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
[h2]Beauty or the Beast?[/h2]
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.