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I was wondering what ideas you people had about the style (architecture, clothing, music, etc.) for the different factions.
Personally I very much like the islamic/indian style, so I think we should include something like that.

Possibly mixed with something venitian

I always envisioned Tharwain as something distinctly high feudal.  The age of massive castles, tight cities with tiny roadways, and farmland that stretched far around the city.



There's a little planning around the main roads, fortifications, and plazas, but most of the city is a product of a natural progression outward.  The walls form a sort of limit, but beyond them are small communities and farms.  Here's another image, but it's a little big so I'll leave it as a link:

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/1765/stadtplanferdokxg2.jpg

Caeluin and Varnost are hard to search for, since by their concepts they don't build for grandeur.  Caeluin builds for practicality, and Varnost for expediency.  This necessitates simple materials.  It doesn't mean they lack style.  For Varnost, the idea would be almost like a temporary camp more than any permanent structure.  I think distinguishing between a military structure or camp that was built for a purpose and a jury-rigged structure built as a temporary abode and to give each its distinctive style is important, but I'm uncertain as to how to represent each.  That's difficult to image search for, since such structures rarely endure the test of time.  Caeluin from its conception was supposed to be a fusion of peoples and cultures.  In that sense, their architecture should reflect this, but I'm unsure of how.

Now, Balkurn and Nisyrra are where things can get creative.  These are factions that take pride in their architecture.  I think Nisyrra  would be the best to pursue an Islamic or Indian style with.  I originally envisioned them somewhat greco-roman, but I never felt it fit perfectly.  I think these styles of architecture maintain the aesthetic flow that I envisioned, but pursues a style distinct from the other factions.  This seems to be the right direction for Nisyrra.

As for Balkurn, all I can say is that you can't google image search the word "fortress" without seeing something that represents them well.  They build big, grand structures that dominate the landscape, and use it to their advantage.  Their entire city is one extended structure, and I think one thing which I won't be able to find anywhere is their tendency to build in "layers", using networks of archways and walls to connect their settlement almost like a maze.  This is the closest I could find to representing that:



Also see:
http://www.edwebproject.org/oman-dubai/pics/nakhal.fort.jpg
http://k43.pbase.com/u25/cjo/large/15156845.fortress.jpg

Indeed, when I think of Tharwain, I too envision something with a european medieval style, with lots of wood and brown stone. I suppose for Varnost we could have wooden buildings (for more permanent structures) and tent-like military buildings.
Nisyrra does seem the most appropriate faction for the styles in my first post.
Your ideas for Balkurn are good, though I personally envision them less square. When you speak about a maze, and buildings connected through walls and walkways, I'm thinking about a city from "the future":

http://www.dehora.net/journal/metropolis.jpg

I couldn't find a better picture. A balkurn city in my eyes would be like that, but denser, a little less tall and of course without the high-tech stuff.
Also, would it be nice to have their main city in a canyon? In case you've ever had Lego Cybermaster, I'm talking about something like the city in that stuff's software.

You hit the nail on the head with the "city of the future" thing.  Somewhat more dense, less tall, and of course lacking the high tech stuff, but that's exactly it.  Oh, and of course some massive stone fortifications breaking everything up, but who would make a dwarf faction without that?  The reason I want to go with square is that it's a space-efficient shape.  If you go with circles, you'll get gaps and unused space.  I think that's something we want to avoid in the Balkurn base.  I love the idea of spires, turrets, and circular towers, but the base needs to be square to make tight cutoffs and transitions.

I'm actually carefully considering Balkurn's capital and layout, because after considerable thought on the subject I've decided that it's imperative for the story that Nisyrra and Balkurn raze each other's heartland.  Otherwise, I feel that tactically their positions will make little sense but to withdraw to their strongholds later in the war.  If there is no homeland left to return to, they like Caeluin, Varnost, and Tharwain have their fates bound with the outcome of the war.

found some more inspiring imagery