- How to Remove a Wall in Conan Exiles - September 1, 2023
- Conan Exiles Corrupted Stone Guide - February 17, 2022
- Conan Exiles Animal Pen Guide – Bring a Friend - February 13, 2022
- What is a Faction?
- How Are They Created?
- What Factions Exist within Conan Exiles?
- The Accursed
- The Black Hand
- Darfari Cannibals
- Dogs of the Desert
- Exiles
- Forgotten Tribe
- Ymir's Children
- The Grey Ones
- Heirs of the North
- Lemurians
- Relic Hunters
- Serpentmen
- Silent Legion
- Stygian Raiders
- Votaries of Skelos
- Frequently Asked Questions – Conan Exiles Factions
- Conclusion
Within the world of Conan Exiles, you’re far from alone. Throughout both The Isle of Siptah and The Exiled Lands, you’ll find other survivors that have banded together to work towards a higher goal. Some of these factions are friends, other foes.
Today we’ll be taking a deep look at some of the best Conan Exiles factions within the game, their backstory, and their motives. We’ll also examine how they fit into the extensive lore of the Conan universe. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
What is a Faction?
A faction is a group of people tied together by a common cause or characteristic. Identified by their surroundings, clothing, or race, numerous groups live across The Exiled Lands and the Isle of Siptah.
While Conan Exiles is a game of violence and combat, not every faction you encounter will be directly hostile. Some will passively accept your presence, and others will even encourage you to follow in their footsteps. Some groups, however, are outwardly hostile and will attempt to kill you on sight.
How Are They Created?
Factions are created through a huge variety of avenues. Some factions were born out of necessity, for a group of disparate Exiles to survive the harsh lifestyle of The Exiled Lands. Others formed based on common characteristics like race, ensuring they can build a society in line with their lifestyle and cultures.
Perhaps the most intriguing form of factions is those with more esoteric means. Outside of race and the need for survival, one of the major factors in the formation of factions is religion or a common goal. Some groups, like the Darfari Cannibals, are tied together heavily by their worship of Yog, The Cannibal God. Other factions, like the Votaries of Skelos, are instead tied together by their pursuit of arcane knowledge.
What Factions Exist within Conan Exiles?
Below, we’ll go through an extensive list of the major factions you’re likely to encounter in-game. This is not exhaustive, as other groups exist, but they’re generally too minor to prove noteworthy.
The Accursed
The Accursed is a group of Exiles found on the Isle of Siptah, generally towards the center of the island, near the tower. The Accursed is a group that has survived on the Isle of Siptah for a long time, branching out and forming alliances with the creatures summoned by the Maelstrom.
There is some evidence to indicate that The Accursed has been warped by these alliances. While these alliances have helped to secure their survival, dealing with eldritch monsters may have twisted their minds.
The Accursed can be found across The Isle of Siptah, most notable near some of the leyshrines. Their faction’s capital city is the Accursed Citadel, located near the Tower of Siptah. They are an aggressive group, and with their Cimmerian armor and Star Metal weapons, they can be a tough fight.
The Black Hand
The Black Hand is a faction of pirates found on The Exiled Lands. They’re an ethnically diverse faction and can be found scattered across the desert and the jungle.
The Black Hand will likely be found fairly quickly by new players, as they infest the desert, and their presence is hard to ignore. Their faction capital city is Buccaneer Bay, a large waterside outpost in the far north-eastern Jungle. The Black Hand also occupies The Black Galleon, a giant rock carved into the shape of a great ship. It’s debatable which settlement could be considered the true capital city.
The Black Hand is a group of pirates who became stranded on The Exiled Lands, and while some are working towards freeing themselves from the land, others seem to prefer living here. They also may be attempting to push further north, evidenced by their forward outpost in the Highlands named The Pocket.
The Black Hand is led by Jamila the Pirate Queen. Affectionately referred to as the ‘Butcher of Khwarizm’ by Razma of Shem, she can be encountered in the far north-eastern desert, at Buccaneer Bay.
See also: Conan Exiles Gameplay Overview
Animal Tamers
Animal Tamers are a sub-faction of the Black Hand, located in Flotsam near Buccaneer Bay, and within the Animal Trainer Camp.
The Animal Trainers seem to be a selection of Black Hand members tasked with exercising dominion over wildlife. Their job is to tame animals to assist The Black Hand with survival and gathering. The most notable member of this sub-faction is Beastmaster Teimos, a previously incredibly powerful thrall who will be fondly known by many.
Black Corsairs
The Black Corsairs are another sub-faction of The Black Hand, and whilst they appear in The Exiled Lands, they’re mainly found on The Isle of Siptah.
The Black Corsairs are active pirates who aim to plunder The Isle of Siptah for treasures. Natural enemies of the Stygian Raiders, the Black Corsairs can be found on the western side of the Isle of Siptah, with a large camp named The Spit on The Isle of Dusk. The Black Corsairs are said to be cannibals.
Darfari Cannibals
The Darfari Cannibals are a notorious group of tribal cannibals located across the central desert and into the western border of the jungle.
The Darfari Cannibals are all the same race, hailing from Darfar in The Black Kingdoms. Their cannibalistic tendencies are a result of worshipping Yog, The Cannibal God. This is widespread amongst the Darfari and is further detailed through the diaries of Razma of Shem.
The Darfari live in primitive camps consisting of little in the way of architecture, rather choosing to live in tents crafted from animal or sometimes human hide. They’re easily spotted due to their lack of armor, usually wearing loincloths or ritualistic masks. The Darfari Cannibals are likely the first faction you’ll encounter within Conan Exiles and are incredibly easy to deal with due to their low health and lack of armor. Their capital city is located at The Summoning Place, an ancient Giant King ritual site repurposed for the Darfari. Here, they offer sacrifices to Yog Sothoth and gaze into The Outer Void.
Dogs of the Desert
The Dogs of the Desert are another early-game faction. The Dogs are a faction of mixed species, as many of the human members of the faction are simply followers of the Werehyenas that give the faction their name.
The Dogs of the Desert are devout worshippers of the god Jhebbal Sag, the Lord of the Beasts. They can primarily be found in their capital city, The Den, located in the desert north of The Unnamed City.
The Dogs are easily recognizable due to their hyena-fur armor, which is designed to emulate the Werehyena leaders of their faction. The Werehyenas are bipedal fusions of humans and hyenas and are said to be directly created by Jhebbal Sag himself.
Followers of Jhebbal Sag
The Followers of Jhebbal Sag are a sub-faction of the Dogs of the Desert. This group is found exclusively in The Midnight Grove, though the Jhebbal Sag priests found in The Den are likely from this sub-faction also. There isn’t much difference between the Dogs of the Desert and the Followers of Jhebbal Sag. The Followers are slightly weaker in combat but functionally will appear identical.
The Followers of Jhebbal Sag were likely the most devout of the Dogs of the Desert, tasked with permanently offering praise to Jhebbal Sag on behalf of the faction.
Claws of Jhebbal Sag
The Claws of Jhebbal Sag are another sub-faction of the Dogs of the Desert. The Claws are a group of elite-level fighters, likely highly regarded amongst the Dogs of the Desert. Their name indicates that they are perhaps dedicated zealots of Jhebbal Sag, and fight with his blessing. They can be found at The Den and the Ruins of al-Merayah.
Exiles
The Exiles are a disparate faction of survivors that have escaped their crucifixion in the desert. They are essentially just like the player character, having been freed either by their own will or the will of others. Unlike others, the Exiles aren’t part of a large and closely-knit group. Instead, their name is used to refer to small and often isolated groups that perhaps only live in small camps of three or four people.
The Exiles are incredibly diverse in terms of race, culture, and religion. This is an effect of them forming based on circumstance, their only common characteristic being that they were sentenced to death in The Exiled Lands.
The Chosen of Asura
The Chosen of Asura is a notable group of the Exiles faction. The Chosen is a sort of meta-faction, in that it’s used as a way to honor certain community members on the Funcom forums that have gone above and beyond to provide the developers with feedback or to help other players.
Those selected to become one of the Chosen of Asura are given a forum title of the same name, free lifetime Conan Exiles DLC, and they also receive their own named in-game NPC, wearing the Asura armor. Currently, nine people have been inducted into the Chosen of Asura. The most recent inductee was on May 4th, 2020, and it’s unknown if the faction will receive more additions in the future.
The current players that have joined the Chosen of Asura are as follows:
- Multigun
- TheLOLxd2
- SirBowen
- Vattende
- Croms_Faithful
- Mikey
- Barnes
- Larathiel
- Jim1
Worshipers of Mitra
The Worshippers of Mitra are another sub-faction of the Exiles. Unlike the Chosen of Asura, they remain firmly within the lore of the Conan universe.
This faction is found exclusively at Muriela’s Hope in the desert. They are all passive and serve to induct the player into the religion of Mitra. Worship of Mitra is the common characteristic that ties this group together.
Like many other Mitraens, the dialogue of those within Muriela’s Hope hints at the fierce zealotry. While they’re not outwardly hostile towards non-believers, they are subtle in their encouragement and advocation for the worship of Mitra.
Forgotten Tribe
The Forgotten Tribe is a group of Cimmerians tightly clustered within The Tundra, mainly found in The Mounds of the Dead. They are ethnically Cimmerian and are tied together not only by their heritage but also by their beliefs.
Speaking with Braga, a Cimmerian found in the center of the mounds, he explains more about the Forgotten Tribe. They’re under the delusion that The Mounds of the Dead are an afterlife, and thus are hostile to outsiders, believing they are underworld creatures.
The Forgotten Tribe wears Cimmerian armor and often carries Star Metal weapons, likely gathered from the meteors that fall on the northern fringes of The Tundra. They can be tough fighters but are an intriguing group to study.
Ymir’s Children
Ymir’s Children is a faction of Frost Giants found in The Frozen North. They’re easy to identify, as they’re incredibly tall and wear unique Frost Giant armor.
Their primary headquarters is The Temple of Frost, which is the home of the Frost Giant Smith and Hrugnir of the Frost. Almost every Frost Giant is innately hostile, save for The Outcast, who instead speaks to the player about the dark secrets of the world.
Ymir’s Children, as the name suggests, worship the frost god Ymir. They may believe themselves to be created by Ymir himself, something that is suggested by others within the game.
The Grey Ones
The Grey Ones are a faction primarily located on the Isle of Siptah, found exclusively on The Isle of Dawn.
Little is known about the history of The Grey Ones. They are seemingly descended from some ancient race, covered in grey scales. They appear similar to The Giant Kings in their height and serpent-like appearance. The Grey Ones may descend from The Great Race of Yith, an alien race that may have been linked to Siptah in the past.
Heirs of the North
The Heirs of the North are a faction of tribal Nordheimers, located across the Highlands. Much like the ethnic Nordheimers outside of The Exiled Lands, they’re composed of the Vanir and Aesir, two main tribes that make up the ethnicity.
The Heirs of the North are based in their capital city New Asagarth and are generally aggressive to outsiders. Relics from the age of the Giant Kings indicate that the Heirs of the North have lived within New Asagarth for many decades. They are tied heavily to The Exiled Lands and choose to remain there.
The Heirs of the North are typically found wearing Vanir and Aesir armors, alongside the typical furs you’d expect from Nordheimers. Alongside New Asagarth, they’re also found at The Wardtowers and can prove fearsome foes due to their sheer numbers.
Lemurians
The Lemurians are a faction of humans located in the Jungle. They’re descended from the ancient Lemurians who reached The Exiled Lands after the fall of Lemuria.
In terms of story, the Lemurians are perhaps the most important group found within The Exiled Lands. They went to war with The Giant Kings, causing the Sandstorm to be unleashed on the desert and eventually causing the fall of the Giant King empire. After the war, many Lemurians returned to the east and began to mate with the natives, eventually becoming the Hyrkanians and Turanians.
Due to this intermingling, not many pure-blooded Lemurians remain within The Exiled Lands. In the overworld, they can only be found in one spot, and that is The Pagoda of Boundless Lusts. However, their influence can also be seen in The Palace of the Witch Queen and The Sunken City dungeons.
Yakira, Priestess of Derketo oversees worship at the Pagoda of Boundless Lust and wears robes indicative of her worship. Other Lemurians located in The Sunken City instead wear more traditional Lemurian clothing. The Lemurian faction, whilst small, is incredibly important to the history of The Exiled Lands.
Relic Hunters
The Relic Hunters are a faction of mixed ethnicity, comprised of Shemites, Stygians, Hyrkanians, Hyborians, Zamorians, Zingarians, and Kushites.
The Relic Hunters are tied together by their pursuit of riches and artifacts. Their capital city is Sepermeru, where one will find many of their kind. Some are passive and welcoming to the player, whilst others are hostile towards you. They’re also found throughout The Unnamed City, perhaps scouring the ruins for valuable secrets. Some can also be found below Sepermeru in The Wine Cellar, where they’ve uncovered ancient ruins of a Khari city.
The Relic Hunters are easy to spot due to their white and purple desert robes. They’re one of the strongest factions found within The Exiled Lands, utilizing strong weapons whilst having a large health pool. The Relic Hunters are an interesting faction, and whilst their methods are questionable, their discoveries are intriguing.
Serpentmen
The Serpentmen, referred to as ‘The Serpentmen of Valusia” by The Witch Queen, are a faction of serpent humanoids. The Serpentmen are pivotal in the lore of The Exiled Lands. Their existence in the volcano was the spark that caused the war between The Giant Kings and the Lemurians.
The Serpentmen are a dying race that exists only in the bowels of the Volcano, primarily in the Well of Skelos dungeon. When they were widespread across the world, they were the dominant species and victimized the humans under their rule. Eventually, humans rose up and committed a vicious genocide against The Serpentmen. King Kull of Valusia would also later strike a blow against the remaining Serpentmen. The Serpentmen were forced to breed with lesser serpents to maintain their race. By muddying their bloodline with other beasts, they devolved into simple creatures. Only one pure-blooded Serpentman, The Degenerate, exists within The Well of Skelos.
Upon completion of the dungeon, The Degenerate will die, dooming this faction to a slow death as they further devolve.
Silent Legion
The Silent Legion is a faction located exclusively in The Frozen North. Like many other factions we’ve covered, they’re heavily embroiled in the history of The Exiled Lands.
The Silent Legion is led by Tyros the Deathbringer, the half-breed son of The Priestking. He was a loyal soldier to the Giant Kings during the Lemurian war, though he eventually met Telith, the daughter of the Witch Queen. He fell in love with her and betrayed the Giant Kings, leading his Silent Legion to fight back against them. Tyros the Deathbringer would eventually slay his own father at the Mounds of the Dead, and in his dying moments, The Priestking cursed Tyros and his men with eternal life. The Silent Legion retreated to The Black Keep, and as The Exiled Lands changed over the thousands of years to come, they remained within the Keep. The story of the Silent Legion and Tyros the Deathbringer is tragic, you can learn all about it in this video from yours truly.
The Silent Legion are undead husks of their former selves. They’ve been driven mad by their immortality, and are relentlessly aggressive to trespassers. Tyros the Deathbringer, branded the Kinscourge by the Priestking, is the final boss of the faction.
Stygian Raiders
The Stygian Raiders, also known as Stygian Invaders, are a faction found on The Isle of Siptah.
The Stygian Raiders are the rivals of the Black Corsairs, and currently occupy the western side of Siptah, allowing them to be closer to Stygia. The faction is made up of mercenaries taking orders from a mysterious prince named Kraxus, aiming to capture Siptah as part of the Stygian empire.
The Stygian Raiders are easily identifiable by their armor, which evokes a militarized feeling of the traditional Stygian clothing seen in The Exiled Lands. They are tough fighters, and while not much is known about them, their endeavor to capture Siptah is intriguing.
Votaries of Skelos
The Votaries of Skelos is a group of cultists found within The Volcano on The Exiled Lands.
The Votaries are led by a man named Vathis and have dedicated themselves to studying The Well of Skelos. They believe they can divine meaning from the whispers emanating from the well, and thus find The Book of Skelos. They seemingly believe that The Serpentmen is the source of that knowledge, and protect the Serpentmen and the Well of Skelos with their life.
The Votaries is one of the strongest factions in the game, perhaps due to their tough life in the Volcano. They also have an incredibly high spawn rate for named Tier 4 Fighters and Archers, which is great for any thrall hunters. The Votaries are identified by their clothing, consisting of either black cloth or reptile hide. It’s unclear if they’re being manipulated by The Serpentmen or whether they may actually find The Book of Skelos, but their pursuit is one they are dedicated to.
Followers of Sobek
The Followers of Sobek are a sub-group of the Votaries of Skelos faction, led by a man named Aridis. After growing apathetic towards the unrewarding lifestyle of the Votaries, Aridis was visited in his dreams by the crocodile god Sobek. He left the Volcano and formed his own group, The Cult of Sobek, in pursuit of the knowledge he hadn’t found amongst the Votaries.
The Followers of Sobek are found within Xalthar’s Refuge, where they’ve chosen to lay down camp. They’re fairly strong fighters and are easy to identify due to their bleached reptile armor.
Frequently Asked Questions – Conan Exiles Factions
Question: Is it possible to join these factions in-game?
Answer: Unfortunately not. While you can play the same race, wear the same outfit and even follow the same god, you’re not able to officially join any faction.
Question: Can I make my own faction?
Answer: In a way, yes. Making your own clan is basically creating a faction, and while most would just make a clan to group up and play, you could take things down a roleplay route if you wish.
Question: Are there any other factions?
Answer: Yes, but I chose not to include them. This is generally because they either don’t exist anymore or are incredibly inconsequential. An example is the Khari, who attempted to build an empire in The Exiled Lands. However, they’re now only found in The Wine Cellar as undead, and essentially play no role in the current faction ecosystem of Conan Exiles.
Conclusion
There are many factions within Conan Exiles of varying types. Some are held together in lifestyle, others in the race, and others in the culture. Today we’ve covered all the major factions you’ll encounter throughout your journey across The Exiled Lands and The Isle of Siptah. There is plenty of interesting lore within Conan Exiles, and knowledge of these factions might inspire you to roleplay as one of them in the future.
Recommended Reads: