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CK2 Dev Diary DD#37: Three times greater

Hello all, it’s time for another Society reveal: This week we’ll talk about the Hermetic society. Hermeticism is based primarily upon writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus ("Thrice Great"), who was said to know the three parts of the wisdom of the universe.The three parts are alchemy, astrology, and theurgy.
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In game terms, the Hermetics are an open society joinable by members of the abrahamic religions, as well as Zoroastrians and Zun pagans (OK, and Hellenic, should you manage to play as one). Their primary attribute is Learning. Their Powers and Missions tend to involve earlier scientific experimentation combined with mysticism and a dash of Theurgy. They will often reward you with technology points or artifacts.

There is some overlap between the Hermetic society and Way of Life’s Scholarship focus. As a member you will be able to build an observatory, just as characters with the focus can, and once it is built you will be able to interact with it further to observe the skies. Not only that, Hermetic members are encouraged to build a laboratory for additional experimentation.
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Other powers and abilities include attempting to divine the future using Scrying, making Horoscopes for your children, experimenting with drugs and medical techniques, and eventually writing your magnum opus - a book of lore and knowledge that you enshrine for the ages.
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That’s all for now, but remember to watch the Medieval Monday stream at 1600 CET today, followed by Three Kings at 1700.
 
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My favourite society is gonna be between these guys and the alchemists for sure.

Though I was half hoping they'd be "good" mages to contrast with the satanists, magic vs magic would've been fun.
 
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You mean through mods or is this a tease?

You can try to let Incitatus(the immortal horse as rival) become the guardian of your heir.
It will probably appear when you have an imortal horse courtier. (You can share your blood with Glitterhoof when you let it become your Chancellor if you are already immortal)
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What's more, I think there can be a new achievement(gained when the player successfully played as a Hellenic), right?
 
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They're more esoteric. If you divine you are going to rule well is it magic or just a confidence boosting placebo that coincidentally makes you a better ruler? So the rule won't disable them.

Will it be possible to use the new counsellor mission to hunt hermetics down as "devil worshippers" or whatever one chooses to slander them as? Quite sure that in catholic world at least formal white magic was more or less as heretical as formal black magic (e.g. demonology).

It would be cool if seperate magic traditions could branch out from major studies of game characters. I.e. some count might study Greek magic and develop his own tradition based on that, with the corpus of his writing being used by later generations and possibly spawning a new society for study of it. Inspired by emergence of more specifically western European formal magic in this period.

But I'm happy to know there will be more toned down magical practise in the game.
 
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Astrology? Horoscopes? Good thing we've got torture. Gonna be a good option to burn people believing in astrology on the stake. Oh boy thats gonna be fun.
 
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Will it be possible to use the new counsellor mission to hunt hermetics down as "devil worshippers" or whatever one chooses to slander them as? Quite sure that in catholic world at least formal white magic was more or less as heretical as formal black magic (e.g. demonology).

No, that job hunts for members of Secret Societies. As an Open Society the Hermetics are unaffected. It's possible for Zealous characters to be upset by them, but by and large they exist happily with others.
 
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There are more portraits on these screenshots which are new. Mathilda looks still Italian, but look at her family.

Finally new western European portraits?
Yeah, we're getting one pack for Central Germanic (German, Dutch, Lombard) cultures, and another one for West Germanic (English, Norman) cultures.
 
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