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WARNING: The following post contains spoilers about Ethel, a new companion joining you in Disciples: Domination!
After introducing Helmer last week, today we’re taking a closer look at another companion introduced in Disciples: Domination: Ethel, The Unbound.
Ethel, The Unbound
Raised in the shadow of the Veil’s tyranny, Ethel learned early that blind faith demands blood. The daughter of a middleman to an Inquisitor Regent, she witnessed the horrors inflicted in the name of purity, most painfully when her own father surrendered her mother, branded impure, to the Veil’s “care” to prove his devotion. Where others saw righteousness, Ethel saw fear, lies, and suffering.
When the Liberator weakened the Veil’s grip, its cruelty only intensified. Under the guise of purging the impure, the Inquisition clamped down on the people of the Empire, abducting victims for brutal experiments. It was then that Ethel’s father decided her training was complete, dragging her to witness and take part in his horrific work.
Her faith finally broke when she saw him massacre scribes and consign their secret library to the flames, erasing truth without hesitation. In that moment, Ethel understood that devotion was merely another weapon of control. When she walked out of the burning ruins, her father lay dead behind her. The all-devouring fire of belief that once burned within her was gone, replaced by a cold, unyielding resolve.
Now one of the founders of the Unbeholden, Ethel stands against any attempt to resurrect the old faith of the Highfather. She believes the gods have abandoned Nevendaar, and that their worshippers cling to lies long past their time. Wielding the very powers forged by ancient religions, she turns them against cult and cleric alike. Lies unravel beneath her gaze as easily as her enemies fall to her blade.
Though she fights alongside the Liberator, Ethel struggles to accept the rule Avyanna represents. She sees herself as a necessary barrier between liberation and tyranny, unyielding, boisterous, and merciless when needed, determined to ensure that freedom does not become just another chain.
Genre
Dark Fantasy Strategy RPG
Release date
February 12th. 2026
Age Rating
Age Rating:
ESRB Teen
PEGI 12
Platforms
PC (Steam, Steam MacOS, Epic Games Store), Xbox on PC, Xbox Series X|S & PlayStation®5
Yes, Disciples: Domination features 4 difficulty levels as well as 1 Custom difficulty level:
Story: For players who want to focus on the story and exploration. Enemies have less HP and deal less damage. Both healing at the end of turn and healing at the end of battle is increased.
Standard: For players who want a balanced experience. This is the default difficulty.
Hard: For advanced players who are familiar with tactical RPGs. Enemies deal more damage. Healing at the end of turn is removed and healing at the end of battle is reduced. Additional battle Events can appear.
Brutal: Be ready for an almost unfair experience, for the most determined of players. Enemies have even more Health and deal even more damage. Both healing at the end of turn and at the end of battle are removed. The chance of having additional events during battle is greatly increased.
Custom: For players who want a custom experience. All parameters are independently adjustable.
You may change the difficulty within the gameplay section of the settings screen.
FAQ - Blog Steam Store Forum
WARNING: The following post contains spoilers about Helmer, a new companion joining you in Disciples: Domination!
Today we’re taking a closer look at a new Dwarven companion, Helmer, The Clanless.
Helmer Eisenschild was born into one of the most headstrong Mountain Clans, sworn for millennia to guard the Griffin Heights and preserve the teachings of Memnor, the great Loremaster who had foreseen Ragnarok and turned it aside. His people endured while others fled, even after Mortis nearly extinguished the dwarven race.
When most dwarves departed for Svatalfaheim, Helmer’s clan remained behind, clinging to stone, memory, and tradition. Over his long life, Helmer grew to resent that stubborn devotion, recognizing it as both their greatest strength and their fatal flaw. The realization came painfully as, over decades, his family chose to continue maintaining the temples of Memnor, a god long dead, over seeking survival elsewhere. This choice condemning them, and future generations, to slow ruin.
Leaving the Griffin Heights, Helmer discovered that this same isolationist resolve had taken hold of nearly all dwarvenkind. Many had sworn never to interact with the outside world again, entombing themselves in tradition. Yet among them, Helmer found others who shared his doubts, and through the years, these like-minded dwarves became his closest companions.
When rumours of Avyanna, the Liberator, reached the Mountain Clans, of Mortis slain and oppressors cast down, Helmer saw more than upheaval. He saw proof that Nevendaar could change. Calm, measured, and quietly curious, he stands apart from what most expect of a dwarf. But those who mistake his patience for weakness soon learn the truth: Helmer has had centuries to hone his mastery of war, and his restraint is what makes him truly dangerous.
Helmer is guided by the belief that the dwarves cannot survive without change. He seeks to break their isolation, rebuild what was abandoned, and forge alliances beyond their mountain halls. Soft-spoken and spiritually conflicted, he favours reflection over command, yet remains relentless once he has made his decision, seeing Ayanna as the world’s best chance to move forward.
Join Christophe Garnier, Game Director for Disciples: Domination, on his journey through Nevendaar, featuring deep insights into what awaits you when the game is unleashed on February 12th.
Disciples: Domination will be released on February 12th, 2026 on PC (Steam, Epic Games), Xbox PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation®5.
Rule through the chaos! Fifteen years after Avyanna freed Nevendaar, Disciples: Domination returns you to a realm hanging in the balance. In this dark fantasy strategy RPG with turn-based combat, take your place on Queen Avyanna’s throne – holding together a crumbling kingdom.
Ready yourself for war and pre-order Disciples: Domination now! By pre-ordering Disciples: Domination – Deluxe Edition players will also be granted 72-hour early access to the dark realm of Nevendaar. Early access is available across PlayStation®5, Xbox on PC, Xbox Series X|S with the full release available on 12th February 2026 on PC (Steam, Steam macOS, Epic Games, Kalypso Store), Xbox on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation5.
WARNING: The following post contains spoilers about the Dwarven Clans in Disciples: Domination!
The mountains of Nevendaar have been silent for centuries, but they are not empty.
With the February 12th release of Disciples: Domination steadily approaching, today we’re taking a closer look at the Dwarven Clans, who return to the series after Disciples: Liberation.
Long believed extinct, the Dwarves of Nevendaar are stepping out of legend and onto the battlefield once more. In Disciples: Domination, they emerge as a playable faction, resilient, rune-bound, and shaped by ancient faith, exile, and an uneasy rebirth.
After the rise to power of the Liberator Avyanna, in between the events of Disciples: Liberation and Disciples: Domination, rumours began to spread: Dwarves were seen traveling old roads and forgotten tunnels, reclaiming ancestral strongholds deep beneath the earth.
Where had they hidden for so long? And why had they finally chosen to return?
To understand what drove their return, we must first look back at the legacy they left behind.
The Mountain Clans were once among the proudest races of Nevendaar. Their vaults, mines, and fortresses still scar the mountains, silent proof of a civilization that seemed lost to time.
The Dwarven Clans ruled the towering peaks at the heart of the continent, flanked by the lands of the Undead and the Elves. Since their retreat into the depths of the world, this region has been avoided by all others, its tunnels sealed, its cities abandoned, its secrets buried in stone.
Now, those depths stir once more.
The Dwarves are not a united society, with 2 major sub-factions presenting themselves:
For centuries, the Fundamentalists have lived in isolation, united by one unshakable belief: Wotan, the Dwarves’ god, must return.
Hidden within secret cities atop the most remote peaks of Nevendaar, their society was forever altered by the arrival of a mysterious human known only as the Herald, the avatar of Ku Wijyn.
She promised them resurrection through the power of tainted springs.
As her influence grew, so did their fanaticism. Molded into tools of a greater design, they became determined to stop Avyanna from reaching the Source at any cost.
Some, like Freya, now walk the world spreading prophecies of the Liberator as the harbinger of the end times and the liberation of Bethrezen.
Yet doubt worsens beneath their devotion. Wotan has returned, but he seems to want nothing from them… or from the world at all.
Driven by faith and fear, the Fundamentalists’ actions are defined by the following goals:
Worship Wotan
Reclaim the ancient glory of their kind
Prevent Avyanna from reaching the Source
Born from the events of Liberation, the Exiles represent a very different path.
Rather than cling to isolation, they abandoned the mountain clans to reclaim old bastions and rejoin the wider world. Diverse in goals but united by choice, they seek a future shaped by cooperation rather than divine domination.
They initially welcomed the Liberator, believing in her vision of a world where races could stand equal. But as Avyanna withdrew from the world, that trust began to fracture, just as the Exiles emerged into a harsher reality than expected.
Helmer may yet prove decisive, as his faith in Avyanna as a ruler remains strong.
Many Dwarves within the Mountain Clans secretly wish to follow the Exiles, but their fear of Wotan’s return and of the outside world keeps them bound to the stone.
Less unified by doctrine and more by circumstance, the Exiles are guided by individual goals:
Varied and personal
Reclaim lost strongholds
Find a place in the new world
After diving into the lore, we wanted to highlight how the Dwarves play in Disciples: Domination.
The Dwarves are designed as a sturdy, melee-focused faction, blending raw endurance with rune-infused craftsmanship.
What defines them:
Extremely resilient frontline units
Heavy armor and powerful defensive buffs
Runic Magic that enhances equipment, skills, and battlefield control
Slow but devastating strikes, once they reach you, they hit hard
Their mastery of runes allows them to endure where others would fall, turning the battlefield itself into an extension of their will.
Masters of Stone, Steel, and Runes
From shield-bearing sentinels to rune-smiths and living stone giants, the Dwarven Clans field a diverse roster built around survival, control, and relentless pressure.
The Dwarves are ready to reclaim their place in Nevendaar.
The mountains are no longer silent! The Mountain Clans are coming to Disciples: Domination.
We hope you enjoyed this deep dive into the Mountain Clans in Disciples: Domination! Stay tuned for more!
Disciples: Liberation is a mature, dark fantasy strategy RPG with turn-based combat. Liberate the land of Nevendaar and uncover the endless stories hidden within this richly detailed world where every decision has a consequence, and every wrong move could be deadly.
Explore a rich overworld and align with a variety of in-world factions: from a human empire tinged by religious extremism to the dark forces of the undead lead by a mad queen. Assemble a team to gather precious resources, sway political standing, and take on brutal beasts in intricate turn-based battles.
Choice is everything in Disciples: Liberation and it is up to you how you write your story.
The Story of Avyanna will continue in Disciples Domination. Wishlist it now!
This year, we're heading to Cologne to purge Gamescom with a hands-on demo of Disciples: Domination! We'll be holding court and hearing petitioners in hall 7.1, Booth A21!
We are proud to announce Disciples: Domination, the next installment in the dark fantasy strategy RPG series with turn-based combat. The game takes place fifteen years after the events of Disciples: Liberation, returning players to the fractured realm of Nevendaar. Disciples: Domination will release on PC (Microsoft Store, Steam, Steam MacOS, Epic Games), Xbox PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation®5 in 2026.
Players step back into the boots of Avyanna to find that her once-stable rule has begun to shatter. Nevendaar has only grown more volatile, and as loyal factions falter, and tensions rise, Avyanna must navigate its regions – all explored in real time - while the weight of the crown grows heavier by the day. She must hold her crumbling kingdom together, or watch it descend into chaos. From the seat of power in Yllian, players must manage the demands of war and rule, making decisions that will affect factions across Nevendaar. Dwarves from the Mountain Clans return, and Avyanna’s choices will affect her standing with their forces and four other factions, helping her create a powerful battle squad. Some will be ready to join her cause, while others will vehemently fight against her rule. Avyanna can also recruit trusted companions, both familiar and not, each with their skills and backstories that can unlock secrets as she steers the fate of the realm.
Disciples: Domination refines Liberations signature tactic, grid and turn-based combat, with faster pacing and enhanced interactions. Strategic depth is at the forefront, with faction-specific abilities and dangerous unit synergies which can shift the tide of battle.
In the lead-up to Domination, Disciples: Liberation is 65% off in the Kalypso Store's Monster Sale including 5 for 4 on select titles until August 11th, and 65% off on Steam until August 21st.
Disciples: Domination is set for release in 2026 on PC (Microsoft Store, Steam, Steam MacOS, Epic Games), Xbox PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation®5 in 2026.
Dark & mature story: In Disciples: Domination you continue Avyanna’s journey in a grim tale of power, war and sacrifice. Every decision carves her path – shaping her fate and the future of Nevendaar.
Rule supreme: From your capital, Yllian, you rule your realm and army. Consult your companions for guidance as your choices shape your faction reputation, impacting how others react to your rule, and the whole world around you.
Refined turn-based combat: Lead your army in tactical, grid-based battles with faster pacing, dynamic events and richer interaction. New skills, faction abilities and unit synergies deepen your strategical options along with the unique system of strengths and weaknesses.
Choose your companions: Unlock and choose trusted companions to reflect your playstyle – leveraging their combat prowess and unique world skills to aid your quest to save Nevendaar.
Hold your world together: Recruit and upgrade units from five distinct factions. Build powerful squads by combining unique skills and abilities and train them to defeat your enemies in turn-based encounters.
Real-time world exploration: Travel the dark, living world of Nevendaar in real time. Uncover new regions, meet compelling characters, face terrifying foes, and dive into rewarding quests as the story unfolds.
The Mountain Clans return: The dwarves are back – and they might not be your allies. Will they stand with you, or spark a new fire you’ll be forced to extinguish?
About
This page aggregates Steam news feeds, patch notes, and developer announcements for Disciples: Liberation, sourced from official Steam community posts.
Major updates, balance changes, and seasonal events often correlate with player-count spikes — cross-reference announcements here with the live charts on the main Disciples: Liberation statistics page.
Articles link back to Steam for full changelogs. SteamScope refreshes news entries as new posts are published to the game's Steam hub.