• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

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.
ck2_171.png

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.
ck2_174.png ck2_179.png

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.
ck2_172.png

That’s all for now, but remember to watch the Medieval Monday stream at 1600 CET today, followed by Three Kings at 1700.
 
  • 91
  • 34
  • 2
Reactions:
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.
 
  • 40
  • 9
  • 1
Reactions:
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.
That sounds good. I'm pleased to hear we'll still get some ambiguous things.

Also did you miss my edit in of whether there'll be astronomy too? I.e. will it all be astrology or will there also be some possibility of going into the (very very early) astronomy? (Though not sure how much difference there was between astrology and astronomy back then and we're also firmly in the geocentric age and the Ptolemaic system, though could be nice if you in the late game can start to question those paradigms based on your observations.)
 
  • 22
Reactions:
Also why no astronomy?

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.

He mentioned an observatory.

My question is will the observatory give any additional things to look at that the learning focus doesn't, besides is something strange moving out there or how do the stars move?

Though if there isn't and the observatory is just another route to those event chains that would also be fun and useful.
 
He mentioned an observatory.
I took that as being linked to the astrology and not necessarily include astronomy too.
 
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.
That's a relief.
As someone who always plays with supernatural turned off (this is a medieval game, not a fantasy game, a difference that the devs seem to forget these days...), I was starting to fear that turning off supernatural events would turn off half of the DLC.

Esoteric is fine to me, as long as it has a reasonable explanation, unlike plain supernatural.
 
  • 17
  • 15
Reactions:
710f5ab9f43a4858861fa0045d82d81a.png

that fella looks cool
 
  • 24
  • 3
Reactions:
and eventually writing your magnum opus - a book of lore and knowledge that you enshrine for the ages.
When you write this book, will it become an item that goes into your treasury/inventory, or is it a modifier?
 
  • 10
Reactions:
Mods or character creator would be my guess.
Last time I checked the hellenic religion had been locked out of the character designer because people were annoying the devs too much about hellenic flavor.
 
  • 11
Reactions:
Also did you miss my edit in of whether there'll be astronomy too? I.e. will it all be astrology or will there also be some possibility of going into the (very very early) astronomy? (Though not sure how much difference there was between astrology and astronomy back then and we're also firmly in the geocentric age and the Ptolemaic system, though could be nice if you in the late game can start to question those paradigms based on your observations.)

There's a bit of both, although as you say, there was a lot of overlap at the time.
 
  • 15
  • 5
Reactions:
What is it about Irish monks that makes them so hermetical? :)

When you start a game the societies get some characters initially added to them, and it seems at 1066 Ireland has a number of high learning characters. There's no inherent Irish bonus though :)
 
  • 22
  • 3
Reactions: