Objective Gameplay
Four factions. Two castles. One relic.
Fight for the oasis. Raise your banner. Bring the desert's greatest prize home.
Alpha gameplay · In development. Features and visuals may change.
The Ancient Oath
Once a symbol of peace. Now the prize of war.
Long before the rise of the four factions, the desert was divided by endless warfare. Kingdoms fought over territory, trade routes and access to water.
Eventually, the rulers of the ancient kingdoms met at the great oasis, where they agreed to end their fighting and recognise the oasis as neutral ground.
To commemorate their agreement, they constructed a shrine upon a small island at the centre of the oasis. Upon its pedestal, they placed an ancient relic representing their oath of peace.
The relic belonged to no kingdom. It belonged to the desert itself.
The agreement forbade any ruler from removing it. Taking the relic would be considered an act of war against every other kingdom.
For centuries, the agreement was honoured. The shrine remained open and accessible, and the relic stood undisturbed.
But the old kingdoms have fallen. Four rival factions have emerged, each seeking control of the desert, its castles and its resources. The Ancient Oath has been abandoned.
Now, whoever can seize the relic, transport it to a castle controlled by their faction and deposit it in the castle's treasure chest will claim rewards and glory.
The relic was never hidden. It was simply protected by an oath that nobody dared break. Until now.
Your faction's objective
Taking the relic is only the beginning. Your allies must keep the route open and your stronghold secure.
Coming next: new battlefield announcements and atmospheric effects.
Choose your allegiance
Descendants of the peoples who swore the Ancient Oath, each faction fights for a different future.
Descended from the warrior clans who served King Kharad, Ember sees Kharad's Hold as an ancestral inheritance. To them, strength in battle proves the right to rule.
“Peace is temporary. Strength endures.”
Claiming the relic means proving their strength before every rival.
Heirs to the merchants and river settlements of Ashar's kingdom, Tide seeks to restore prosperity through control of water and trade. Ashar's Rest is their ancestral stronghold.
“He who commands the waters commands the desert.”
Claiming the relic means restoring the legacy of Ashar's kingdom.
Descended from tribes who travelled the desert before its kingdoms existed, Dune rejects the claims of kings. Both castles stand as reminders of rulers who divided a land that belonged to everyone.
“The desert bows to no crown.”
Claiming the relic means securing a future for the desert's free people.
Descended from the shrine's ancient guardians, Grove sees the removal of the relic as a betrayal. They fight to protect the oasis and keep its precious waters from permanent domination.
“What gives life must never belong to one.”
Claiming the relic means securing it before rival factions can exploit it.
Different histories, the same objective: every faction can capture either castle and secure the relic. Ancestral claims do not grant exclusive ownership.
The twin fortresses
Kharad's Hold & Ashar's Rest. Once rivals, then guardians of the Ancient Oath. Now prizes of war once more.
The Fortress of Iron · East
Built by King Kharad, a warlord determined to rule the desert, this eastern stronghold became renowned for formidable defences and its endurance through prolonged sieges.
Under the Ancient Oath, its walls protected the approaches to the oasis. Now new armies fight to raise their banners above them.
The Fortress of Kings · West
King Ashar built his western fortress to command the routes that sustained a prosperous kingdom. Its towers stood as symbols of wealth, trade and royal power.
Once a guardian of peace, it offers a stronghold from which to contest the desert and secure the relic.
Assault a rival stronghold, overcome its defenders and raise your faction's banner. Then hold the walls: your relic carrier needs a castle your faction still controls when the treasure is delivered.
The ancient kings are gone. Their fortresses remain. Who will command their walls when the sands settle?
The next chapter is being built
Follow an independent project as it grows.
Bring your ideas. Help shape the frontier.