The world beyond the tower is populated. Three major factions and several minor ones each pursue their own goals. Most are hostile to the tower; some are indifferent; alliance is rare. This page introduces them.
The dying world contains three major factions: the Pale Court (organized, methodical attackers), the Burning Ones (chaotic and aggressive), and the Last Wanderers (the displaced who occasionally aid the tower). Each faction has its own gameplay implications for enemy waves.
Quick answer
Three majors, several minors. Each has its own enemy archetypes and motivations. The tower stands against most of them.
The Pale Court
The Pale Court is organized. Their soldiers move in disciplined formations, their commanders coordinate across battlefields, their goal is the tower's fall by attrition. The Pale Court believes the tower's continued existence delays a transformation they desire. They are patient and they are coming.
In gameplay, Pale Court waves emphasize armored units and elite commanders. See our bestiary for their roster.
The Burning Ones
The Burning Ones are chaotic. They do not coordinate. They do not strategize. They simply burn forward. What drives them is not recorded. Some say they were once human, transformed by the dying. Others believe they are something older.
In gameplay, Burning Ones emphasize swarm and aggressive light units.
The Last Wanderers
The Last Wanderers are not hostile. They are the displaced of the dying world: those who fled when their homes failed and who have been moving ever since. They occasionally pass near the tower and trade for safety. Their role in the gameplay is small but present.
Minor factions
Several smaller factions exist: the Silent Order (followers of Ice who travel as monks), the Mended (a community founded around Life's teachings), and the Hourless (followers of Time who reject linear progression). Each appears in the lore but rarely in active gameplay.