Hello there everybody! Welcome to the first in a series of diaries covering some of the new content in Elder Kings’ upcoming version 0.2.1. Our last dev diary, which preceded the release of 0.2.0, covered the reworked Guild system. However, following the release of MNM and its content patch, the Guilds have been reworked into fully-functional societies, which we’ll discuss in this developer diary!
Those of you familiar with the old guild system may recall that there were many guilds of the same type, such as there being multiple independent chapters of the Fighters Guild. In contrast to the old system, the current number of societies is much slimmer, but they offer the same educational and training opportunities that they used to. Listed below are the current society archetypes, and the societies that can be joined depending on your character’s capital’s location (as well as other requirements).
For most societies, joining is a matter as simple as applying and receiving a letter of acceptance. The Greybeards will only accept those who have at least made the pilgrimage to High Hrothgar. Those interested in the Morag Tong must do some searching to uncover the society’s hidden HQ. Those looking for the Dark Brotherhood typically must earn a reputation for killing before having a chance at being recruited.
Other than learning specializations and improving their educations, characters can still receive the old minor quests previously available to guilds. Members of some new societies have new minor quests – Thieves might be offered contracts for theft, and Assassins can get writs for certain targets. Societies interact with the world in ways appropriate to their roles. For example, if Falmer infest a province, the Fighters Guild or an equivalent can be hired to clear the province out – and a brave warrior from that society’s roster will be sent to complete the task.
These major quests are part of a society’s perks. Members of the Fighters Guild and its equivalents can eliminate most provincial disasters that threaten their demesne instead of paying for someone else to do it. Those in the Thieves Guild and Camonna Tong can steal artifacts from other characters at extremely low financial cost – though with some personal risk.
In contrast, Dark Brotherhood and Morag Tong assassins can take out personal contracts, using their personal abilities in stealth and combat to eliminate foes.
The Greybeards and Moth Priests don't have guild quests, but they can learn the Thu'um and read Elder Scrolls, respectively.
Societies have new lifestyle traits unique to their members. Saboteur, Equestrian and Engineer, for example, are a few of the new lifestyles that you can unlock via society membership.
For most societies, there are two ways that you can take over. The first is to have enough influence to inherit the position if the old society’s leader dies or is otherwise removed from power. The second means to take over a society is to be one rank below the grandmaster and offer to buy them out with a lump sum of gold and a pension that lasts a lifetime.
If the grandmaster accepts this pension, they abdicate to their patron and are prohibited from joining most other societies so long as they wish to maintain their pension. If for whatever reason the beneficiary wishes to join another society, they could forsake their pension and seek opportunities elsewhere – or even start over in their old society, if they so wish.
Secret religious cults are unrelated to the other societies but are in working order and have been developed to support every extant religion. It’s possible for players and AI alike to found and develop their secret societies to allow an otherwise-unpopular religion to attain widespread adoption.
Next time, we’ll talk about the new content for supernatural characters (namely, vampires and lycanthropes) and how their conditions can affect their realms, relationships, and subjects.
Those of you familiar with the old guild system may recall that there were many guilds of the same type, such as there being multiple independent chapters of the Fighters Guild. In contrast to the old system, the current number of societies is much slimmer, but they offer the same educational and training opportunities that they used to. Listed below are the current society archetypes, and the societies that can be joined depending on your character’s capital’s location (as well as other requirements).
Martial Societies: Specialize in Martial
-Fighters Guild (Tamriel and Yokuda)
-Companions (Skyrim)
-Union of the Iron Hilts (Akavir)
Magical Societies: Specialize in Learning
-Mages Guild (Tamriel)
-Transcendent Architects (Akavir)
Mercantile Societies: Specialize in Stewardship
-Mercantile Association (Tamriel and Yokuda)
-Navigators of Akavir (Akavir)
Entertainment Societies: Specialize in Diplomacy
-Scenarist Guild (Tamriel and Yokuda)
-Ephemeral Wardens (Akavir)
Criminal Societies: Specialize in Intrigue
-Thieves Guild (Tamriel)
-Camonna Tong (Dunmer-specific, Tamriel)
Assassin Societies: Specialize in Intrigue
-Dark Brotherhood (Tamriel)
-Morag Tong (Morrowind)
Religious Societies: No specialization and no specialization training, but offer other bonuses
-Greybeards (Human and Elven pantheon, Animist and All-Maker; Dragonblooded characters, Tamriel)
-Cult of the Ancestor Moth (Human pantheon, Tamriel)
-Fighters Guild (Tamriel and Yokuda)
-Companions (Skyrim)
-Union of the Iron Hilts (Akavir)
Magical Societies: Specialize in Learning
-Mages Guild (Tamriel)
-Transcendent Architects (Akavir)
Mercantile Societies: Specialize in Stewardship
-Mercantile Association (Tamriel and Yokuda)
-Navigators of Akavir (Akavir)
Entertainment Societies: Specialize in Diplomacy
-Scenarist Guild (Tamriel and Yokuda)
-Ephemeral Wardens (Akavir)
Criminal Societies: Specialize in Intrigue
-Thieves Guild (Tamriel)
-Camonna Tong (Dunmer-specific, Tamriel)
Assassin Societies: Specialize in Intrigue
-Dark Brotherhood (Tamriel)
-Morag Tong (Morrowind)
Religious Societies: No specialization and no specialization training, but offer other bonuses
-Greybeards (Human and Elven pantheon, Animist and All-Maker; Dragonblooded characters, Tamriel)
-Cult of the Ancestor Moth (Human pantheon, Tamriel)
For most societies, joining is a matter as simple as applying and receiving a letter of acceptance. The Greybeards will only accept those who have at least made the pilgrimage to High Hrothgar. Those interested in the Morag Tong must do some searching to uncover the society’s hidden HQ. Those looking for the Dark Brotherhood typically must earn a reputation for killing before having a chance at being recruited.
Other than learning specializations and improving their educations, characters can still receive the old minor quests previously available to guilds. Members of some new societies have new minor quests – Thieves might be offered contracts for theft, and Assassins can get writs for certain targets. Societies interact with the world in ways appropriate to their roles. For example, if Falmer infest a province, the Fighters Guild or an equivalent can be hired to clear the province out – and a brave warrior from that society’s roster will be sent to complete the task.
These major quests are part of a society’s perks. Members of the Fighters Guild and its equivalents can eliminate most provincial disasters that threaten their demesne instead of paying for someone else to do it. Those in the Thieves Guild and Camonna Tong can steal artifacts from other characters at extremely low financial cost – though with some personal risk.
In contrast, Dark Brotherhood and Morag Tong assassins can take out personal contracts, using their personal abilities in stealth and combat to eliminate foes.
The Greybeards and Moth Priests don't have guild quests, but they can learn the Thu'um and read Elder Scrolls, respectively.
Societies have new lifestyle traits unique to their members. Saboteur, Equestrian and Engineer, for example, are a few of the new lifestyles that you can unlock via society membership.
For most societies, there are two ways that you can take over. The first is to have enough influence to inherit the position if the old society’s leader dies or is otherwise removed from power. The second means to take over a society is to be one rank below the grandmaster and offer to buy them out with a lump sum of gold and a pension that lasts a lifetime.
If the grandmaster accepts this pension, they abdicate to their patron and are prohibited from joining most other societies so long as they wish to maintain their pension. If for whatever reason the beneficiary wishes to join another society, they could forsake their pension and seek opportunities elsewhere – or even start over in their old society, if they so wish.
Secret religious cults are unrelated to the other societies but are in working order and have been developed to support every extant religion. It’s possible for players and AI alike to found and develop their secret societies to allow an otherwise-unpopular religion to attain widespread adoption.
Next time, we’ll talk about the new content for supernatural characters (namely, vampires and lycanthropes) and how their conditions can affect their realms, relationships, and subjects.
