While the world of Conan Exiles is largely hostile and short on conversation, there are a handful of non-hostile NPCs that can be spoken with for lore regarding the Exiled Lands and its current state of affairs.
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Major Storyline Characters
Conan the Barbarian
The infamous Cimmerian thief, pirate, and mercenary. He rescues Razma of Shem from her cross in the game's CGI opening movie before disappearing off into the wilderness, and later does the same to your character at the start of the game's campaign. He can also be found in the game itself in a bar in the neutral city of Sepermeru.
- Barbarian Hero: The ur-example.
- The Cameo: What his role in the plot basically amounts to. He saves you in the opening movie and can also be found and chatted with in the City of the Relic Hunters, but otherwise has a hands-off role in the plot since he has no stake in removing the curse of the Serpent Bracelet.
- Greater-Scope Paragon/Hero of Another Story: Conan rescues both you and Razma from your crosses, then takes off to leave you to your own devices. Since he's exploring the Exiled Lands of his own free will and is not bound by a Serpent Bracelet like most other humans in the Exiled Lands, he has no real investment in your quest to break the bracelet's curse.
- Unflinching Walk: He casually strolls into the approaching sandstorm with seemingly no concern. Bear in mind the sandstorm is actually an explicitly supernatural disaster and would normally kill you if caught inside it without a sandstorm mask. Conan is apparently tough enough to just tank it wearing only a loincloth.
Razma of Shem
The woman from the game's CGI opening movie. Razma is a Shemite princess who has been overthrown by her political enemies back home after the death of her father, finding herself a prisoner in the Exiled Lands. Conan rescues her from her cross and leaves her to her own devices, at which point she sets out on a journey to try to find a way to break the curse of the Serpent Bracelet and escape the Exiled Lands. You can find journals written by her scattered throughout the Exiled Lands detailing her adventures, and you can later meet her in person as the host body of the Witch-Queen of Lemuria.
- Grand Theft Me: Suffers this at the hands of the Witch-Queen of Lemuria.
- Hero of Another Story: Her adventures parallel your own and like you she's bound by a Serpent Bracelet and trying to find a way to break its curse.
- Riches to Rags: Was Shemite royalty before her current predicament.
The Awakened Staff of the Triumvirate
After you defeat the Abyssal Remnant, you will come across a staff hidden in it's belly. If you follow the description of the object, head to the Tower of Bats, kill the Albino Bat Demon and use it's blood at the altar found there with the Staff of the Triumvirate, it will awaken it's dormant spirit once more and give advice to the player on how to proceed in getting the Bracelet off.
- All Men Are Perverts: It speaks with a male voice and seemingly enjoys recalling when he was...used in the Witch-Queens orgiastic rituals. He also happily denotes how Tyros' mom liked them big, and considering Tyros is the result of the Priestking copulating with a human woman...
- Deal with the Devil: After you awaken it, it makes one with you on surprisingly good terms. Namely, it will give you advice on how to deal with the Bracelet and the components in making it until you return it to the one who summoned him. The Deal comes full circle when you get to the Degenerate in the Well of Skelos.
- The Dragon: It's old purpose was being one to the Giant-Kings and help them win the war. He failed, was thrown in a sewer for eons and when released, becomes one to you to help you get the bracelet off. His true loyalties lie with the Degenerate, and without the Staff giving it's bad advice to all parties, the Degenerate's plans wouldn't have been as effective as it would be.
- Dragon-in-Chief: While the War was kicked off due to the Witch-Queen wanting to annihilate the last of the Serpentmen, it's really the Staff who came up with the most damning aspects that would haunt the Exiled Lands even to the day the game takes place in. It gave the idea of the Sandstorm with the intentions that it would rampage uncontrollably as well as the Cursewall to trap the humans in and kill everyone who tries to escape.
- Foreshadowing: The Staff mentions some hints on what it used to be or who it may be associated with in terms of the plot of the game.
- When it talks to you after you go to the Map Room in the Archives, it mentions not to believe anything the Archivist may say about him. It may be some embarassment over the Giant-Kings losses due to him. But it's bad advice was entirely intentional. Not to mention he states at the start that he "hasn't seen such a mess since the fall of Valusia", which is the homeland of the Serpentmen.
- After getting all the items in the order he brings them up in, he oddly goes tight lipped about the Shining Trapezohedron. This was because it belongs to the Degenerate, who is his master.
- While it isn't possible without using console commands to add him back to your inventory or simply placing him outside the Well of Skelos before you face the Final Boss, provided you have him and the Shining Trapezohedron, he gets a lot less subtle about what it used to be when talking on the Serpent Ring of Set. He mentions the ring was stolen from his people, the Serpentmen, by the Giant-Kings. He tries to backtrack, but it's obvious he was a Serpentman while alive.
- As for a visual cue, the head of the staff is a snake.
- Magic Staff: It is one, albeit it's only function is to be a witty conversationalist who gives you advice on how to get the Bracelet off. It acts in a much more traditional way, summoning illusions of Serpentmen to fight you once you get up to the Degenerate.
- Manipulative Bastard: Yes, the staff will tell you how to get the objects needed to break off the Bracelet or at least where to look. It will advise you ad teach you. And it will betray you, as it says should you have all the items, console command in the Essence of the Serpent Ring, and get to the Well of Skelos. He got the Priestking to curse his son with Immortality, which ultimately turned the war against the Giant-Kings. He got the Warmaker to unleash the Sandstorm to plague the lands forever. He got the Archivist to activate the Cursewall to keep the humans trapped forever. And he got the player to ultimately return him to the Degenerate, the one who created him, to serve as his Magic Staff.
- Motive Rant: He gives a magnificent one, provided you get everything and even use the console to give yourself the Essence of the Serpent Ring. It doubles as a Rage Breaking Point as it's voice noticably gets angrier when he mentions how the Serpentmen died long ago and how everyone deserves to go with them.
- Awakened Staff of the Triumvirate: Haha... And so, it comes to this. Oh, I have enjoyed our travels, but if you remember the terms of our agreement, I was only to serve until I found my true master. Behold, the last remnant of the serpent men. I was a gift to the Giant-Kings, to advise and to teach. To betray. I whispered to the Priestking, and he cursed his only child and turned the war against his people. I whispered to the Warmaker, and he unleashed the sandstorm that turned their fertile lands to arid desert. I whispered to the Archivist, and he activated the curse wall, trapping the humans forever. And I whispered to you. And you brought me home. The serpent people are almost gone. But their hatred for your kind burns strong. Though his name be forgotten, all your cursed race must pay for the crimes of King Kull of Atlantis. You will be cleansed!
- Walking Spoiler: Considering the role it ultimately plays in the backstory of the game and his intentions, the Staff is naturally one.
- You Have Failed Me: On the suffering end of this trope, he was thrown into the sewers where the Abyssal Remnant was and left to rot in it's gullet for millennia for failing to give the Giant-Kings good advice on how to defeat the humans. After The Reveal, it's shown to be well deserved.
Petruso the Sandstorm Maniac
A barely coherent lunatic encountered in a temple near the starting area. Petruso is actually a Lemurian Priest who stopped the Giant-King's final doomsday weapon, the Sandstorm, by absorbing the elemental spirit controlling it into himself before it could ravage the Lemurian lands. This however condemned him to eternal insanity and created an endless cycle where the Sandstorm would sweep across the Exile Lands until reaching his temple, where it would reset to its origin point and start the process all over again.
- Broke Your Arm Punching Out Cthulhu: He managed to stop the Sandstorm, but doing so seems to have permanently reduced his mind to goo. When you try to talk to him, there's almost nothing of the original Lemurian priest left, just a gibbering lunatic. Fortunately, the elemental spirit possessing him is still fully coherent and capable of helping you.
- Cryptic Conversation: Due to his insanity, Petruso's words and sentences are incoherent and barely make sense, but paying close attention to his third conversation seems to have him hint where to go or find the pieces of the Scourgestone, a'la a version of the "Ten Little Indian Boys" nursery rhyme fitted to the situation. This gets averted when the Sandstorm Elemental takes over and basically tells you where to look.
- Really 700 Years Old: He was around during the war between the Giant-Kings and their Lemurian slaves ages ago, and has been kept alive by the elemental spirit he merged with.
- Sealed Inside a Person-Shaped Can: Petruso absorbed the Sandstorm's elemental spirit before it could ravage the Lemurian lands. A few thousand years in this state has left him an insane wreck; though the elemental spirit itself remains coherent and tells you how to set it free.
- Spanner in the Works: Turns out to be this for the Degenerate's scheme of having the sandstorm run amok across the Exiled Lands, killing people who fell prey to it and reducing the once vibrant and fertile lands to desert. Due to his actions, the Sandstorm is limited to the desert biomes in game and the initial starting area.
Warmaker Klael
A member of the ruling triumvirate of the Giant Kings and the last living member of the race. He can be found before the Citadel of the Triumvirate where he remains mourning the remains of his city.
- I Just Want to Have Friends: He's spent eons in the Nameless City, mourning what it became and having few people come to him throughout that millennia. Though he doesn't outright say it, a few entries point out that Thoth Amon did befriend him to learn of his secrets.
- Fighter, Mage, Thief: The Warmaker is responsible for leading the armies of the Giant Kings and keeping his people safe, making him the Fighter in the Triumvirate.
- Frontline General: As the Warmaker, it was his job to lead from the front lines and keep his people safe, which he often did on the Northern front.
- Last of His Kind: He's the last surviving member of the race of the Giant-Kings. Given the alien nature of the Giant-Kings, it's unclear whether he's some sort of intelligent undead, or is still a flesh-and-blood creature. He has somewhat mummy-like features, though he is quite a bit healthier-looking compared to the Barrow King.
- My God, What Have I Done?: He's ultimately responsible for breaking the Scourgestone and creating the Sandstorm that lead to the city becoming the desolate wasteland it is now, and regrets ever doing it.
- Never My Fault: Has a bad case of this. He blames the war between the Giant-kings and the Lemurians on humanities inherent ambitions and inability to be satisfied, all while ignoring the many, many actions that prompted them to go to war with the Giant-kings in the first place.
The Archivist
A member of the ruling triumvirate of the Giant Kings, who died in the last days of the war with the humans. His ghost lingers on in the Archives of the Giant Kings' city, and is willing to impart his knowledge to those that visit him.
- Fighter, Mage, Thief: Despite dealing with the archives and knowledge, the Archivist is actually the Thief of the Trimvirate. He created or came up with the objects the Triumvirate used to corral the war, like the fires that tell when humans have invaded, the Cursewall that keeps humans inside on the pain of death and whatnot. And just like the Thief, he was also equally squishy and died through physical force due to the Witch Queen's manipulations.
- Mr. Exposition: He's the primary source of information about the items you need to complete the "main quest".
- Token Good Teammate: Twofold.
- First is that compared to the rest of the Triumvirate of the time you play the game, the Archivist is the nicest out of them all. He provides you the potential way to get the bracelet off, provides the Cartographer feat which allows you to make the Map Room (which can do fast travel provided your Bracelet is attuned to the Obelisks it has) and even allows you to peruse the Library of Esoteric Artifacts, provided you give it Fragments of Power which can only be found on the corpses of the Nameless City bosses.
- The second is that he's the only member of the undead who isn't hostile to you and even on speaking terms. The undead otherwise make up a majority of the enemies and bosses you face in the game.
Other Characters
Arcos the Wanderer
A former sailor banished to the exiled lands. He makes his camp at the starting river near the Sentinels and is likely to be the first non-hostile NPC you encounter in the game.
- Mr. Exposition: Largely serves to give the player background information on the basics of the exiled lands.
Braga
- Early-Bird Cameo: Is first mentioned in the Ophirean Journal series of notes, the first of which can be found as early as the starting river area.
- Only Sane Man: He's the only member of the Forgotten Tribe not living under the delusion that they're living in the Cimmerian afterlife. As a result he's the only one who won't attack you on sight and who you can have an actual conversation with.
Gilzan the Treasure Hunter
Jamila the Pirate Queen
The former Captain of the Black Hand pirates who has been deposed by a mutiny.
- The Butcher: Was formerly known as the Butcher of Khwarizm.
- Gonk: For over two years Jamila suffered from a bug in which her eyes were unusually large and spaced unnaturally far apart. This was finally fixed in a mid-2019 patch.
- Handicapped Badass: Her crew burned her hands into lumps before exiling her, either out of sadism or to make sure she wouldn't be a threat to them in the future. According to her, she can still fight well enough to survive in the Exile Lands.
- Our Founder: Founded the Black Hand faction from scattered groups of other pirate Exiles, before being overthrown by her First Mate.
Shamalla the Pirate Queen
The Queen of the Black Hand Pirates occupying the Buccaneer Bay in the jungle to the east, formerly the Captain of the pirate ship Harpy.
- Disc-One Nuke: She'll sell you a legendary sword for 100 pearls, this is one of the few reliable ways to obtain a legendary weapon without reaching level 60 first.
- Only Smart People May Pass: Her throne platform is located on the Flotsam structure, but is inaccessible via the normal stairs and platforms. She can only be reached by climbing the sails and rigging around Flotsam to reach the top of the area, something which isn't immediately obvious.
- Visionary Villain: She and her pirates are building a pirate ship to sail into the ocean and escape the Exile Lands.
Master of Ceremonies
Mountaineer
The Religion Trainers and their Gods
Muriela the Artisan and Mitra
An Exile who began to hear the voice of Mitra when wandering lost in the desert, and dedicated herself to resuming construction of a giant statue of Mitra that she found in the desert.
- Red Shirt: Muriela's followers are quite weak for the area their outpost is found in, and can easily be wiped out by anything more than one or two snakes or scorpions. Fortunately, like all NPCs they respawn after a while due to the impermanent multiplayer-focused nature of the game.
- Token Good Teammate: Muriela's encampment is one of the few non-hostile areas in the game, and her followers won't attack you and will even fight any hostile creatures or fighters that you kite into their area.
Mek-kamoses and Set
A Stygian sorcerer and former member of the infamous Black Ring, an order of sorcerers led by Thoth Amon himself. He teaches the worship of Set, the Old Serpent.
- Affably Evil: In spite of Mek-kamoses being an Evil Sorcerer and worshipper of Set, he's sincerely polite and even affable in his interactions with the player.
- Ascended Extra: The Age of Sorcery updates turn Mek-kamoses from merely another religion trainer to a major event questgiver. He even gets a fancy new outfit to go with it, and his lair at the Spire is heavily redesigned with Sorcery assets.
- Brought Down to Normal: The bracelet suppresses Mek's sorcery, and he scours the Exiled Lands for an artifact that will restore it. Should he find one, he intends a Roaring Rampage of Revenge against Thoth-Amon. By the time of Age of Sorcery, which adds a magic system to the game, he's managed to regain a measure of his powers.
- Evil Sorcerer: Mek is a former member of the Black Ring, likely the most infamous order of sorcerers in all of Hyboria, and he's tied to the magic system added by the Age of Sorcery storyline. Set himself also governs magic as part of his associations.
- God of Evil: Set himself is the God of Evil in the Conan setting, though he also commands Serpents, Darkness, Knowledge and Magic as well.
- The Great Serpent: Set's avatar form is this, a lunging snake that destroys all it slithers over and that lunges with a terrible bite.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Set is one, given the Giant-Kings and Serpentmen worshipped him and made the Bracelets with a combination of items, not the least being the Serpent Ring of Set. When Thoth-Amon found it in the Nameless City, he was able to recreate the bracelets from the artifact alone, leading to the game's predicament with the Exiled Lands. He also seems to allow the chaos that happened centuries ago in the Exiled Lands to run amok, but given he's a God of Evil amd Chaos, it also makes sense as to why he'd sit back and let his own followers destroy each other.
- Magic Antidote: One of the things that can be made at Set's altars are Set Antidotes, which cure all types of poisoning no matter what they are. Including Food Poisoning.
- Malevolent Masked Man: He's an Evil Sorcerer and worshipper of a God of Evil, and wears the Set priest outfit that includes an ornate full-face mask and headdress. His redesign in Age of Sorcery wears a golden death-mask under a purple hood.
- Poisoned Weapons: Set's altar gives access to Snake Arrows, which can poison those they hit.
- Religion of Evil: Set's worship in general is this, as he calls for screaming sacrifices and beating hearts to be offered to him.
- Snakes Are Sexy: Played with. Set is associated with many sins in the Conan canon, including Lust. And the Setite Priest wear leaves very little to the imagination...
- Snakes Are Sinister: Set is associated with snakes, and he is a God of Evil, so...
- We Can Rule Together: The high priest states that, should you find a way to restore his sorcery, he'll teach you magic and together you can forge an army and take revenge for your respective exiles.
Nunu the Cannibal and Yog
A Darfari shaman cast out of his tribe for the crime of devouring a child, who can be found at the Shaman's Rise, just east of Skulker's End but west of the Shattered Bridge. He teaches the religion of Yog, Lord of the Empty Abodes and God of Cannibals.
- Affably Evil: For a child eating cannibal who worships an Eldritch Abomination, Nunu is remarkably friendly.
- Bad with the Bone: Most of the things you can craft at the altar of Yog requires bones in order to function.
- Disc-One Nuke: Downplayed, but Nunu is by far the easiest religious trainer to reach from the beginning of the game, being the closest to the starting area. Getting to him involves fighting past a few hyenas at most, which can possibly be avoided if you know the right path. Further downplayed in that you can choose a religion to start with at character creation, and you can't build a shrine until you master iron forging anyway.
- Eats Babies: As stated above, he was exiled from his tribe for eating an infant freshly cut out of its mother's womb. He insists it was the will of Yog, but it's telling that even the cannibalistic Darfari thought he went too far.
- The Exile: An outcast even in the Exiled Lands.
- I'm a Humanitarian: What Yog demands of all of his worshippers. The fact that Nunu can still teach the religion despite devouring a child goes to show that Yog cares little about how the flesh was obtained, only that is was eaten.
- Mr. Exposition: Of a sort. Nunu explains that in order to find your path through the Exiled Lands, you should make use of the various lotus flowers. Indeed, making potions of the specific colored lotus flowers and imbibing them will produce a wisp that will show you to a specific place or boss.
The Outcast and Ymir
An exiled Frost Giant philosopher who can be found at the Outcast's Camp, at the border of the Mounds of the Dead and the Mountains. He teaches the religion of Ymir, God of War, Storms and Snow.
- An Ice Person: Ymir is a god of snow, and several weapons you can craft at his altar both require Ice Shards which you harvest with his ritual harvest weapon, and said weapons usually are empowered by that ice as well. This includes Ice Arrows, Glacier-Crack, and Foeshatter. You can also make plain ice or Black Ice at said altars too.
- Klingon Scientists Get No Respect: He's a philosopher from a Proud Warrior Race of Blood Knight types. Hrungnir smashed his skull in and kicked him out of the tribe because he got tired of his philosophizing.
- Medium Awareness: He seems to be at least somewhat aware that you and him are nothing more than characters in a video game, though he talks about it in much more abstract esoteric terms.
- The Exile: From the Frost Giants, not that he seems to mind too much.
- Token Heroic Orc: He's the sole non-hostile Frost Giant in the game.
- Warrior Heaven: What Ymir leads, as those who worship him and who die in glorious battle are allowed into Valhalla, where they may fight and eat forever.
- Weapon Specialization: Ymir is awfully fond of axes. The ritual harvest item, as well as the weapons you can make are all axes, and Ymir himself wields an axe when summoned.
Yakira, Priestess of Derketo and Derketo
A priestess of Derketo who resides in the Pagoda of Boundless Lusts near the Forgotten City of Xel-ha. She teaches the Religion of Derketo, Goddess of Fertility and Death.
- Extreme Omnisexual: Be it living or dead, Yakira has probably slept with it.
- Fan Disservice: Derketo's avatar looks particularly beautiful...at least, her right, living half. Her left half, however, takes the form of an ages old corpse. Not that her followers would particularly mind or care.
- The Hedonist: A given due to her worship of Derketo.
- Life/Death Juxtaposition: Derketo in particular is the Goddess of Fertility and Death, and so symbolizes both the creation of life, the little sleep and the eternal one. Physically, Derketo represents this by the right half of her body being a voluptuous, living woman while her left half looks like a desiccated corpse.
- Nightmare Fetishist: Followers of Derketo are known for their depravity, including the likes of necrophilia and bestiality. Yakira is no exception as she mentions doing all of the above, and going in detail over how she took the eyes of Set and Mitra priests, making them scream in ecstasy before making them weep as they can only give her two eyes of their own.
Child of Jhebbal Sag
A child of the God of Beasts, Jhebbal Sag, who was summoned into the material plane in the form of a werehyena by another child of Jhebbal Sag, a human named Impisi, who wished to know the secret to transform into a beast. He was banished for refusing to give Impisi the secret, and is now hanging out waiting to return to his original plane of existence. He teaches the Jhebbal Sag religion, but is unique amongst the religious trainers in that he doesn't teach it to you directly, but rather teleports you to a special dungeon where you earn the religion by overcoming the dungeon's bosses, including a final fight with Impisi himself.
- Cain and Abel: Is this with his brother, Impisi. While the Child of Jhebbal Sag seems to be a fairly neutral figure, Impisi is a brutal and savage man who ultimately turned to the dark god Jhil for the knowledge to become a werewolf.
- No Name Given: He never gives you his proper name, if he has one, and is only referred to as the Child of Jhebbal Sag in the game.
- Synchronization: Is linked to Impisi by the ritual that summoned him, such that he's stuck on Earth for as long as Impisi wishes and will suffer any injuries that he inflicts upon Impisi. As a result he can't just kill Impisi himself to return to his home plane, and seems to be relying on the player to do it for him.
- Token Heroic Orc: He's the only non-hostile Werehyena in the game.
Factions
Exiles
Prisoners who have found themselves abandoned in the Exiled Lands and imprisoned within its borders by the Serpent Bracelets attached to their wrists. Exile encampments are scattered throughout the starting area of the game; they are disorganized and poorly equipped, wearing piecemeal fiber tunics and wielding makeshift stone weapons.
- The Goomba: They're the weakest and least organized faction in the game and the first group of human enemies you'll encounter.
- King Mook: Named Exile Heroes can be found wandering alone at certain specific locations near the starting river. Unlike regular Exiles they're equipped with proper armor, and also have somewhat more health. Unlike most named unique Thralls they have a mini-boss indicator on their health bar. They make pretty decent combat Thralls for the early game if you can manage to capture one, as they have about three times as much health as a regular Exile Thrall. They're somewhat stronger after the update adding character levels and stats to Thrall Followers, which makes them tougher than Darfari Tier 4 named fighters and puts them about on par with Black Hand Tier 4 named fighters.
Darfari Cannibals
Yog-worshipping cannibal tribesmen of Darfar who have found themselves imprisoned within the Exiled Lands. The Darfari occupy the southwest sector of the desert.
- Bad with the Bone: Many of their weapons are crafted from bone.
- Cannibal Tribe: Comes with being Worshipers of Yog.
- Disc-One Nuke: Their apparent leader, the Darfari Witch Doctor at their faction capital The Summon Place, counts as a special Purge Thrall if captured, and therefore has special crafting options that can normally only be gotten from difficult-to-capture mini-boss Thralls from the Purge.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Nunu, the Yoggite religion trainer, was exiled from the tribe because eating a baby freshly cut from its mother's womb was deemed too much even for the Darfari.
- Faux Affably Evil: You never see it in the game itself, but the Harlot's Journals indicate that the Darfari are actually capable of presenting a friendly front, in order to lull potential prey into a false sense of security.
- Giant Mook: A mid-2019 patch added Cannibal Brutes as miniboss-like enemies; they're 7-foot tall brutes armed with huge two-handed clubs. A pair of them serve as the "boss" of the Darfari faction capital, The Summoning Place, and one guards the entrance to the Dregs at Skulker's End. If converted into a Thrall, they're tougher than Tier 3 fighters but not as tough as Tier 4 named unique fighters, and lose their giant size.
- Necromancy: While the Darfari themselves don't seem to use undead minions, the Witch Doctor feat which allows you to craft undead minions that operate similar to Thralls or Pets can be obtained from a somewhat hidden Darfari book found at The Summoning Place. The lore entry mentions that it's not true Necromancy, but rather a more unstable tribal practice used by the Darfari. The corrupt powder you need to craft undead minions can also only be obtained from Darfari chests at The Summoning Place.
The Black Hand
A band of pirates who control the eastern desert as well the jungle area near the ocean to the east.
- Almighty Janitor:
- In the Flotsam structure at Buccaneer Bay are a pair of bosses, a cook named Razor Gord and a drunk named Dunkas the Mad Eye. These two guys are full on bosses with incredibly high health (about twice that of the Relic Hunter Heroes in the Unnamed City in terms of durability), and are far, far tougher than any of the Captains that are actually supposed to be leading the Black Hand.
- Beastmaster Teimos, found in the northern area of Buccaneer Bay, has noticeably more health than other named Tier 4 Black Hand fighters such as the Captains. With his high 75% spawn chance, he's one of the best combat Thralls that a early-to-mid game player can capture and turn into a Follower.
- Authority Equals Asskicking: Captain Ioushuwa (or his generic equivalent, Black Hand Captain), the "boss" of the Black Hand faction capital the Black Galleon, has the high health of a named thrall as well as being the only Black Hand to wear heavy armor instead of the regular Black Hand tunic.
- Elite Mooks: Several Black Corsair Elites can be found throughout Buccaneer Bay; they have a mini-boss marking on their health bar, are equipped with unique Corsair Elite armor and sabers, and are more than twice as durable as a normal Tier 4 unique named Black Hand fighter NPC. This effectively makes them more than twice as tough as any of the Black Hand Captains that are supposed to be leading the faction.
- Hired Guns: After the June 2019 patch, Black Hand mercenaries can be hired for coin at Buccaneer Bay, rather than capturing and breaking them at the wheel of pain.
- King Mook: The Captain of the Black Hand pirates at the Buccaneer Bay is just a regular named unique Thrall, but has to be fought as a "boss battle" for a piece of the Scourgestone, just like the Giant Alligator and Sand Reaper Queen.
- Jack of All Stats: Along with the Lemurians, they're the most "average" faction in terms of equipment and stats.
- Saharan Shipwreck: While they don't have a literal shipwreck, the fortress of Black Galleon is a ravine mesa that has been built upon to resemble a ship, complete with massive cloth sails. Lesser Black Hand camps are also decorated with sail-like tents in the same style as the Galleon.
- The Starscream: Their previous leader, Captain Jamila, was overthrown in a mutiny and exiled from the group by her First Mate, Atthis. It looks like Atthis himself suffered a similar fate, as by the time you enter the Exiled Lands he's nowhere to be found, with the Black Hand being led by Captain Ioushuwa at the Black Galleon and Queen Shamalla alongside Gall o' the Spear-din or Hekkr Waverunner at the Buccaneer Bay.
The Lemurian Remnant
The remnants of the fallen continent of Lemuria, occupying the jungle ruins in the southeast of the Exiled Lands. The Lemurian Remnant consists of both humans and ape-like bipeds, and are ruled by their sorcerous Witch-Queen.
- Disc-One Nuke: They drop Lemurian Warrior Armor, which is weaker than other level 60 Epic medium armor sets, but more than twice as strong as regular medium armor. You can also farm them for this armor relatively early in the game, since they're only about as tough as the Black Hand.
- Jack of All Stats: Along with the Black Hand pirates, they're the most "average" faction in terms of equipment and stats.
- The Remnant: All that remains of the once mighty Lemurian civilization. Also, the Lemurian humans only occupy a single camp on the map (Pagoda of Boundless Lust), and otherwise only appear during Purges or in the special dungeon The Sunken City. The rest of the Lemurian ruins are occupied solely by the degenerated Grey Apes, showing just how far their civilization has fallen.
- Was Once a Man: The Grey Apes (the bipedal ape-like creatures) are humans who have devolved into a bestial state.
Dogs of the Desert
A savage group of animalistic humans who control the northern desert. The Dogs of the Desert are ruled by Were-Hyenas and appear to be Were-Hyenas in human form themselves, or human thralls possessed by animal spirits.
- Beast Man: The Dogs of the Desert are led by Werehyenas, several of whom can be found around their faction capital, The Den. The Dogs of the Desert themselves as described as behaving more like animals than humans, and their combat dialogue indicates that they don't consider themselves to be human.
- Elite Mooks: Dogs of the Desert warriors known as "Claw of Jhebbal Sag" were added by the June 2019 patch, spawning randomly in their faction capital, The Den. Like the Darfari Cannibal Brutes, they're stronger than normal Tier 3 fighters but not quite as strong as Tier 4 unique named NPCs.
- Pelts of the Barbarian: They wear hyena fur armor, which is almost as revealing as the loincloths worn by the Darfari but actually surprisingly decent armor, providing better protection than the default medium leather armor. You can learn to craft it by examining an armor stand at a Dogs of the Desert camp on the mountain overlooking the Black Hand's Black Galleon.
Relic Hunters
A coalition of Exiles who have organized and set up their own city to the west. Many are engaged in the search for treasure. Their capital, the city of Sepermeru, is notably one of the only non-hostile settlements in the entire game.
- Disc-One Nuke: The Relic Hunter Treasure Seekers that can be found exploring the Unnamed City are the best combat Thralls in the game, having the best health and stats in the game (equivalent to a named Thrall of the Relic Hunter faction), and you can capture them using mid-level capture equipment. In the process you do have to fight the quite tough King Mook Relic Hunter Heroes that lead their expeditions, though. After the update adding character levels and stats to NPC Thralls, they are no longer the absolute best (They're now exceeded by Votaries of Skelos Tier 4 named fighters, as well as Tier 4 Purge Fighters from the Heirs of the North, Forgotten Tribe, and Votaries of Skelos factions), but are still high up there and generally easier and more reliable to find and recruit.
- Gang Up on the Human: Their A.I. is kind of wonky. Once they enter into combat (whether against you or your thralls, another player, or even wandering monsters), they become permanently hostile towards all players until their A.I. resets.
- The Guards Must Be Crazy: They won't react to you dragging an unconscious Relic Hunter through the city on a lasso, and will only attack you if you engage in combat within a couple dozen feet of them.
- Improbable Power Discrepancy: Despite being a mid-game faction equipped with mid-game weapons and armor, they tie with the Votaries of Skelos as having the highest health and stats in the game (they're several times as durable as nearby factions such as the Dogs of the Desert or the Black Hand).
- King Mook: In the Unnamed City you can find Relic Hunter Treasure Seeker expeditions led by a named, unique Relic Hunter Hero. These Heroes have enhanced health (more than even normal named Relic Hunters) and very powerful Silent Legion armor and weapons. They cannot be knocked out or captured and are some of the toughest human enemies in the game. Killing one rewards you with a heart of a hero (which completely cures corruption when eaten) and a legendary-level weapon repair kit.
- Token Good Teammate: Downplayed. They're a Set-worshipping Stygian-led group with many raiders and slavers among their numbers, but their capital city is notable for being one of the few non-hostile settlements in the game.
Heirs of the North
Nordheimer Exiles who occupy the frozen north.
- Elite Mooks: Nordheimer Berserkers are supposed to be found around their capital, New Asagarth (but are currently Dummied Out). Like the Cannibal Brutes and Claws of Jhebbal Sag, they're tougher than regular Tier 3 fighters but not as tough as named Tier 4 fighters.
- Enemy Mine: They're exiles from the warring Aesir and Vanir tribes, who have banded together into a single Nordheimer faction.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Based on Nordic Vikings, they use hardened steel weapons and steel armor, and are about twice as tough as the Black Hand or Lemurians.
- Savage Wolves/Bears Are Bad News: They use tamed wolves to guard New Asagarth, and even a few tamed bears to guard the perimeter of the city. A very tough boss bear, Misha, can be found on an altar on the north perimeter wall.
- Semi-Divine: A boss that can occasionally appear in New Asagarth, the Nordheimer faction capital, is "Ladagara, Daughter of Ymir". She's 9 feet tall and almost as tough as the main quest bosses, so it seems likely she actually is a half-god. If you defeat her, you get a horn that lets you spawn a Frost Giant as a pet.
The Forgotten Tribe
A tribe of Cimmerians who have settled in the northwest near the ancient burial mounds. Living under the delusion that they are dwelling in the Cimmerian afterlife, they attack all visitors on sight out of a desire for glorious combat.
- BFS: Starmetal greatswords are the weapon of choice for their Tier 3 fighters and Cimmerian Berserkers.
- Elite Mooks: Cimmerian Berserkers can be found around their capital, the Mounds of the Dead. Like the Cannibal Brutes and Claws of Jhebbal Sag, they're tougher than regular Tier 3 fighters but not as tough as named Tier 4 fighters. They also wield starmetal greatswords and wear Epic-level heavy armor. Cimmerian Purges can potentially consist of 3-4 gangs of almost a dozen of these guys, and they can potentially wipe out even a squad of Relic Hunter Treasure Seeker thrall defenders.
- Hidden Elf Village: Unlike most factions (other than the Lemurians), they haven't established numerous outposts throughout their territory. Most of them are concentrated in their capital, the Mounds of the Dead, with a few scattered camps defending the outskirts of said capital.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Naturally for a group of Cimmerians. They're the second-toughest human faction in the game, second only to the endgame faction Votaries of Skelos. They also use powerful Star Metal weapons and Epic-level Cimmerian armor. note .
Votaries of Skelos
A group of Serpentmen-worshipping cultists who occupy the Volcano and defend the last enclave of Serpentmen who dwell in the depths of the Well of Skelos. They are lead by Vathis the Hierophant.
- Elite Mooks: They're the toughest human enemy faction in the game (not counting special groups like those found in special dungeons such as the Sunken City, the Warmaker's Keep, or the Wine Cellar) and occupy the massive Volcano which is essentially the game's Very Definite Final Dungeon.
- Riches to Rags: Vathis himself used to be a scholarly vizier with everything he could want or need in life. He eventually lost everything and was thrown into the Exiled Lands.
- Theory Tunnel Vision: Vathis believes he's being given visions by the Well of Skelos, and is trying to decipher them in order to leave the Exiled Lands, basing his prior knowledge off of his past viewing of the Book of Skelos. Unfortunately, he's and his cult by proxy are only being manipulated by the Degenerate who has no interest in telling them the way out as he fully means for them to die.
- Unwitting Pawn: Played with. They do serve the Serpentmen and protect them with their lives, with Vathis at the head of the cult. However, the Degenerate would never give them the means to escape the Exiled Lands like Vathis would want, ultimately making them this.
Major Bosses
The Abyssal Remnant
A grotesque serpent-like monstrosity that makes it's lair in the abandoned sewer tunnels beneath the nameless city. It is the boss of the Dregs dungeon.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: While you're trekking through the Dregs, it'll speak to you telepathically pretending to be a beautiful Damsel in Distress. Journals found throughout the Dregs detail how it did this to a previous adventurer, bewitching him and presumably eating him when he finally reached its chamber.
- Eldritch Abomination: Whatever this thing is, it's clearly not natural.
- Escaped from the Lab: The Remnant was a failed attempt by the Giant-Kings to create a host body for one of the Abyss entities from beyond the veil. When the result failed to meet their expectations (they wanted it to have arms and legs, for starters), they essentially flushed it down the toilet where it eventually ended up taking up residence in the Dregs, which are the Unnamed City's sewer system.
- Stationary Boss: Having a giant slug-like body, it can't move at all and is stuck inside the pool of acid it calls home. The boss fight consists of it spitting acid at you, and occasionally trying to body flop onto you if you run in circles close enough around it.
- Wake-Up Call Boss: The Abysmal Remnant seems to be intended to be the first proper boss fought by players in the game, being encountered in a dungeon that's at the end of the starting river. Fighting it also requires learning its pattern and fighting it intelligently, as just charging it blindly with an axe will result in you falling into a pool of acid and getting dissolved. Also, the journey milestone quest to defeat it is the first milestone boss fight.
Hrungnir of the Frost
- Blood Knight: The Outcast states that Hrungnir only cares about blood and battle.
- Optional Boss: Despite being a major boss (to the point there's an achievement for defeating him), he's not tied to the "main quest" in any way, unlike any of the other major boss characters. Killing him gives you access to Black Ice weapons, which can only be learned from defeating him and forged at his forge.
The Witch-Queen of Lemuria
The Queen of the Lemurians who fled the destruction of their continent and sought refuge in the land of the Giant-Kings. Although she and her people initially co-existed peacefully with the Giant-Kings, the two races eventually went to war due to continued unchecked human immigration. Her mask is one of the six artifacts necessary to create the magical keystone needed to break the curse of the serpent bracelet and escape the Exiled Lands.
- Benevolent Mage Ruler: For the humans trapped in the Exiled Lands, she was this. Knowing what it's like to be a slave herself, she used her magics and armies to defy the Giant-Kings and convert more humans to her side through sheer goodwill. She also allowed Tyros to join her armies and have a child with her daughter Telith, which is telling considering he is responsible for many of their deaths before defecting.
- Grand Theft Me: Her original human body is long gone; now she's a spirit inhabiting her mask that takes over the body of whoever puts it on. At the moment her current host is Razma of Shem.
- Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: As is befitting her title of the Witch-Queen, she's decked out in silken robes and jewelry and tries to kill you while wearing it.
- King Mook: After you destroy the two giant statues she animates to fight you, when the Witch-Queen herself drops down to fight you she does so with the standard battle-axe moveset and is pretty much a standard miniboss Thrall, albeit with a lot more health (her axe also does Bleed damage and has a much higher Shieldsmash rating than normal). However, the fact you fight her inside an arena with magical lasers firing all around you does add some complication to the fight.
- Light 'em Up: After you destroy at least one of the giant statues she sends after you, she begins to create beams of green light that strike across the room if you're not careful. These beams remain active until you defeat her.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Initially, she and her people were able to live in peace with the Giant-Kings. But upon discovering that the Serpentmen were living in the caldera of the Volcano, and so she sent an ultimatum to the Giant-Kings to give her the North and to stay their hands while she and her armies exterminated the Serpentmen. This is one of the starting points of the War.
- Oppose What You Suffered: Given her people's initial escape lead to them becoming slaves, a fate they subsequently managed to get out of, part of her reason in fighting against the Giant-Kings was due to them attempting to enslave her people and all peoples who wore the bracelet.
- Person of Mass Destruction: Given her sorcerous abilities, she was responsible for making many advancements or attacks against the Giant-Kings. For starters, she made some sort of petrification object that turned many of the Giant-Kings to stone or wood, as can be seen by the "trees" in the Shattered Springs.
- Really 700 Years Old: The destruction of Lemuria and the war with the Giant-Kings happened over 10,000 years ago, yet the Witch-Queen is still alive and rules from her palace in the jungle. It turns out she's actually a spirit possessing a human host.
- Slouch of Villainy: Lounges on her throne in this manner when you finally confront her.
- Summon Bigger Fish: As you step into her throne room, she animates one of the two giant statues to fight you. Kill one or take too long, and the other will come to life as well.
- The Farmer and the Viper: When her people initially fled the destruction of their continent and settled in the Giant King's lands, they initially had no way to communicate. So she implemented her magic with theirs to forge the Bracelets to allow them to communicate with each other. The same bracelets that would end up entrapping them in the same lands when the Cursewall was activated.
- Taken for Granite: In the backstory, it's mentioned how she used magic to turn the armies of the Giant-Kings into petrified trees. In desperation, the Priestking and Warmaker summoned the Sandstorm in retaliation.
The Kinscourge/Tyros the Deathbringer
Once known as Tyros the Deathbringer, he was the child of the Priestking and a human woman who he had a tryst with. Resulting in a half-man, half-giant, Tyros was raised to become a warrior for the Giant-Kings and was often used as a gladiator in the Arena for their amusement. He naturally fought for them when war with the humans began, but his meeting with the Witch-Queen's daughter had him change sides to fight for humanity. Since then, his victories for humans have earned him the moniker of "The Kinscourge", cemented by him killing his own father, the Priestking. Upon said death, the Priestking cursed Tyros with immortality. After losing his wife and child to the sands of time, he now wanders the Black Keep, waiting for an end that will never come. He holds the Tears of the Two Races.
- Broken Tears: A note from a prisoner in the keep mentions that they sometimes hear crying in the halls of the Black Keep, and Tyros constantly mourns his wife and child who he lost several centuries ago. The lore tidbit on the Tears of Two Races denotes simply how broken down Tyros is by the whole ordeal.
- Complete Immortality: Of the second variant where Nigh-Invulnerability is cranked up. His curse entails that he will never die, whether by old age or violence. Even when you kill him and harvest his body for the Tears of the Two Races, you will also get the Heart of the Kinscourge, which is noted to be still beating even though it's out of his chest!
- Dash Attack: His primary melee attack allows him to zoom over a dozen feet in the blink of an eye while swinging his two-handed sword. He often does this twice in a row.
- Defecting for Love: He was the leader of the Giant-kings armies during the war between them and the humans, but defected to the humans' side and became the leader of their armies after falling in love with the daughter of the Witch-Queen of Lemuria.
- Half-Human Hybrid: He's the son of the Priestking and an unnamed human woman, making him half Giant-king and half human. He stands a good couple of feet taller than even the largest human in the game.
- Patricide: Killed his father, the Priestking, on the field of battle at the end of the war between the Giant-kings and the humans.
- Really 700 Years Old: The Priestking used the Diadem of the Giant-kings to curse him with eternal life of undeath after being killed by him on the battlefield.
- The Butcher: His title as given to him by his old allies after he defected and betrayed them is, appropriately, The Maimer and the Kinscourge.
- The Fog of Ages: Given his immortality and that the game takes place thousands of years after he was cursed, he begins to forget details of his mortal life. The torn notes throughout the Black Keep mention that he still clings to the memories of Telith and his child with her, but even they are fading too.
- Red Baron: According to his notes, his own men referred to him as the Deathbringer.
- Who Wants to Live Forever?: Invoked, as the immortality Tyros has is part of a curse. Since Tyros defected out of love and even had a child with his human lover, he inevitably outlived them, a fact that haunts him and makes him grieve for bygone days as he can't join them.
The Barrow King
The undead form of the Priestking who once ruled the Exiled Lands as part of the Triumvirate, alongside Warmaker Klael and the Archivist. Unlike his fellow Giant-Kings, Klael and the Archivist, the Barrow King is not in the mood to mince words with a petty human, and will attack you on sight. He can be found in his tomb in the northwest near the Mounds of the Dead, and possesses the Diadem of the Giant-Kings, one of the six artifacts needed to break the curse of the serpent bracelet and escape the Exiled Lands.
- Came Back Wrong: According to a tablet of his, he had only recently resurrected and he theorizes it's somehow due to his curse on Tyros reflecting abit back onto him. He also does not make use of his magic abilities in his fight against you, implying he's not at his full power.
- Duel Boss: The Barrow King has no followers or guardians, and he's the sole enemy in the dungeon containing him. However, you do have to get past a number of Wights who are wandering around in the area close to the entrance to his tomb.
- Dying Curse: He laced one on his son, Tyros, when he was struck down by him. Said curse includes immortality and his armor, as well as all those of the Silent Legion, being cursed to eternally remind them of Tyros' kinslaying.
- Fantastic Racism: Seems to look down upon humans even more so than the other Giant-Kings, and taunts you regarding how he considers all humans to be slaves when you fight him.
- Fighter, Mage, Thief: Out of the Triumvirate, the Priestking was the Mage, conducting bloody rituals and rites for his people and the gods they worshipped, primarily Set. Although according to the Summoning Place Lorestone, he also made many deals in the Outer Dark, summoning demons and whatnot to do his bidding. And just like the Mage, he was comparatively squishy and died against his son, Tyros the Deathbringer.
- A God Am I: One of his combat taunts is "We were your gods!".
- King Mook: Unlike Tyros, he doesn't have a unique fighting style and simply fights with the basic one-handed sword moveset. However, his enormous size gives him a couple special advantages; he can't be staggered and his reach is significantly longer than that of a normal NPC using that moveset.
- Orcus on His Throne: Despite the fact he seems to have retained his intelligence even in undeath, it looks like he's just been chilling out in his tomb for god knows how long instead of getting out into the world and doing anything. The wording of certain lore entries might imply he was only resurrected relatively recently, though this is very unclear.
- Sorcerous Overlord: Considering he's a High Priest of Set, is responsible for many dealings with the Outer Dark and the bloody sacrifices done to both, and he also enjoys utilizing slaves for bloodsport in the Arena, he definitely qualifies.
The Undead Dragon
The reanimated skeleton of the Giant-King's largest and most powerful dragon, found inside the Arena.
- Damage-Sponge Boss: It's a huge undead dragon, and seems to have the most hit points of any non-Raid Boss enemy in the game. For reference, he's got over twice as much health as the Kinscourge or Hrungnir and more than 4-5 times as much health as the Barrow King.
- Draco Lich: An undead dragon.
- Summon Bigger Fish: Since the area it's fought in is technically part of the overworld, it's the one boss in the game that you can kill by summoning an avatar of a god to crush it.
- Worthy Opponent: The reason it has the Badge of the Champion you need. Tyros the Champion considered the dragon this, and laid the Badge upon its defeated corpse to signify that.
The Degenerate
Within the Caldera of the Volcano lies the Well of Skelos, where the Serpentmen have long since made their homes after the fall of Valusia. Here, the Degenerate rules over what remains of his people, holding the Shining Trapezohedron required to make the Bracelets. He is also responsible for the Exiled Land's situation being what it is, and serves as the presumed head of the Votaries of Skelos.
- Abusive Parents: After finding out his people are doomed to extinction due to lacking genetic diversity to repopulate, he cares very little for what children he or his people do make. When you come across a group of Serpentmen, he simply tells you to feel free to kill them, as he has no love for them.
- Bad Boss: As said above, he has no qualms sending his warriors to their deaths and doesn't care for them. He's also been manipulating the Votaries of Skelos as well.
- Final Boss: Although you can tackle the 5 major story bosses in any order, the Degenerate seems to be intended to be the last one you take on, as he's located at the end of what's basically The Very Definitely Final Dungeon (you don't get much more "final dungeon" than a massive volcano at the very far end of the game world), is the final enemy that both the Journey milestones and Staff of the Triumvirate direct you to, and is the closest the lore has to a Greater-Scope Villain regarding the events of the backstory.
- Greater-Scope Villain: It's indicated that his behind-the-scenes manipulation is what's ultimately responsible for the downfall of both the Giant-kings and the Lemurian humans. He also mentions having created the mirrors of Tuzun Thune, a wizard who once tried to kill Kull the Conqueror.
- Last of His Kind: He's the last pure-blooded Serpentman left in existence, his small cadre of fellow Serpentmen having been born of interbreeding with snakes and other lesser reptiles.
- Meaningful Name: You really can't get more to the point about what kind of person he is than the name "The Degenerate". As mentioned in other tropes, he's the last of his kind forced to try and repopulate with lesser reptiles to make new Serpentmen, befitting the literal definition of "the Degenerate" and he also fits the moral version as he wants to kill everyone else alongside himself.
- Orcus on His Throne: Played with. His faction is likely one of the most organized and has the best materials to damage and kill others bar none. However, his plan hinges entirely on having more humans trapped in the Exiled Lands and dying by any means, be it the Cursewall or the dangers present, so he's more than happy to sit on his throne and watch the death that occurs in his realm.
- The Pawns Go First: He sits on his throne behind an impenetrable energy barrier while sending waves of Serpentmen to fight you. Once you take out all his minions and he's forced to fight you himself, he turns out to be a fairly easy opponent. In many builds of the game he simply drops dead after a few seconds once he exhausts his sorcerous abilities.
- The Remnant: He's the leader of the last remnant of the Serpentmen of Atlantis, who fled to the Exiled Lands after their defeat at the hands of Kull the Conqueror.
- Taking You with Me: After realizing that his race was doomed to extinction due to lacking the genetic diversity required to repopulate, he decided to manipulate events to ensure that the Giant-kings and humans were destroyed along with him.
The Mummy of the Ring
- Final Boss: He was supposed to be this, but the programmers apparently ran out of time to implement him. He can be summoned with console commands, in which case he appears as a 15-foot tall mummy with an Anubis head. Like the Barrow King, he uses the basic one-handed sword moveset, but has much greater reach due to his enormous size.
