So, I guess it's makeshift faction update time:
With the undead forces on the rise, uneasy alliances are forged throughout the lands of Northeros. The most particular of these are the Norselands, where mortal enemies become sworn allies:
Introducing the
Frystvall!
But hang on, weren't the rimegrizzlies mortal enemies of the Norse and sealed away for good (at least for the near future)?
That is absolutely right! However there were plenty of them still at large above ground, and while the Norse were still at large exterminating the threat, the return of a fabled figure in their mythos has set the two warring sides' history on a completely new course:
Behold,
Melker Franz Sigvard, Jarl Supreme - one of the first leaders of primitive men to set foot in the Norseland, MFS is a revered figure in the Norse Pantheon that helped their civilization become the rustic, monster-slaying motley crew of badasses they are today. His disappearance was a mystery for many years, but now he is back! He wields Shiverslash, a magical permafrost blade and is more than ready to command the united North in their ever-so desperate battles for survival.
In truth, MFS has been put into the fantasy version of cryogenic sleep by the enigmatic
Ice Queen (see above, she is represented by the regular blindbag mini) - an outcast elf who sought to take the title of Enchantress by force and was exiled for her misgivings. She resided as a neutral observer in the cold peaks of the Norselands for years before she was approached by MFS to help her quell the undead beast horde Warhead has unleashed. In turn for his life, she agreed and altered the creatures' metabolism, forcing them to periodically hibernate.
The Ice Queen kept MFS as a failsafe, a bargaining chip with which he could ally with the Norse if a danger even greater than the grizzlies would ever arise. Of course, sitting back while the Norselands kept periodically sacked by the furbeasts was still a bit poor form, but she figured thusly only the strongest generations of warriors shall survive.
Okay, but fluff aside what's new?
We'll get there but for the sake completeness let's look over what remained the same:
Rime Grizzly troops (warrior, berserker and icecrusher), basic Norsemen and the big warmachine are essentially the same. Granted the latter needs a good dusting. Oh and they have a Commander unit in the form of the Shieldmaiden, but that's essentially just the blindbag viking woman with new gear, see in the Overwatch.
Onwards to actual new stuff:
Slayers! Wulfgar's heroics live on as many Norse follow in his footsteps now. The all have the previously campaign only ability, Preferred Enemy.
Preferred Enemy: the controller of this unit can pick an enemy unit or unit type at the start of the battle. The minifig gains +1 skill when fighting against such units.
Förbannad! These are Norse sinners and criminals who seek redemption for their misgivings, usually in the form of death in glorious battle. Becoming a förbannad involves a shame-shaving (in a culture where beards are as significants as for the dwarves, a bare chin is a tell-tale sign of one's crimes), then a penitence pilgrimage to a mountaintop where the repetant Norse cries skyclad for a final chance of redemption from the ancients and getting struck by lightning. Those who live through this ordeal become avatars of RAGE - even the fairly temperamental Norse think they're too much - with burning eyes, their hands permanently clenched around a spectral axe. The Förbannad usually serve a Jarl, who keep them on a short leash - having fearless killing machine can be quite an ace in your sleeve - although with the return of MFS, the Jarls all offered such troops to further bolster the Frystvall.
So yeah, long story short two microfactions are one army now -
an army of vikings and undead werebears. They will probably get a Magmarokk-like ice monster eventually too.
Miscellanous updates:
Blaze Ironbreaker and the Imperial Battle Cleric got a facelift - it is a little funny that a secondary hero unit has more bling than some older campaign models but at the same time it looks cool so it all works out.