Developer Diary #3 - Part I: Khergit Khanate
Welcome to another developer diary of The Legend of Zendar! We're going to start a serie of diaries with 6 parts for each Calradian factions. We're also planning to release two or three diaries in a week. After tons of works for fixing possible bugs and making improvements and when all of the diaries for Calradians factions are done, we're likely going to release a beta version. Our current version is v0.0.5 and this diary will contain all the works from v.0.0.4: Khergit Khanate! Besides the general improvements, our version will increase for each faction, and when we hit the v0.1.0 there will be an open beta.
First of all, I want to announce a decision to change the very course of our mod. We stopped working on the "Warrider" bookmark which is between the Bannerlord and Warband's time period. We're going to start with the Warband bookmark at March 23rd, 1257. That's because the next Mount & Blade franchise, the Bannerlord is 200 years ago from the Warband. And we're going to work backwards instead of starting in the middle of everything like the Warrider bookmark. So, when we released open beta with v0.1.0 there will be a playable Warband bookmark only. With the future big updates we will add various bookmarks towards Bannerlord in the year of 1060.
Now, I want to show you the current maps of Khergit Khanate:
P.S: With the current v0.0.5 the other factions except for Khergits are not ready. But all of their characters, dynasties, cultures and religions are already finished. Character traits and their portraits are also generated randomly. We will make them similiar with Warband in the future.
When you're looking at first, you're seeing the Khergit Khanate as a big purple blob. But when you look carefully, we can say it's not a huge blob. If we make the Khergit Khanate as a one huge independent faction, there will be an unstable and simple game. Instead, we made the things more... interesting.
You can see clearly the borders of Sanjar Khan's one of the vassals named Tonju Noyan from Ichamur's primary title and his vassals. We used the tributary system from vanilla game for the lords whose holding huge cities from the Warband. We have kingdoms for each "City" including the "Castle" and "Villages" as duchy from the Warband.And that means the Khergit Khanate (Empire Rank) has the kingdom rank Ichamur, Narra and Halmar. You can see the de jure kingom map below:
In the Warband bookmark, these kingdoms within the empire rank Khergit Khanate are seems equal but they're just a "titular" empires. Except for Halmar, we made that one of the tributes of Sanjar Khan as titular but a kingdom. That's because the Ichamur and Narra has their own Clans (Kingdom Rank) with Nomad government but, Halmar has sedentary system with Iqta government. And all of them are tribal titles. Which means these tributary titles can be destroy if they acquire an equal de jure title. The only similarities between the Halmar and Khergit is they're in the same borders of de jure empire and within the same culture group. But their religions is different from many Khergit lords, they're Sunni Muslims.
Just like the real world (CK2 Europe) there are Muslim, Christian, Zoroastrian, Jewish and although not directly there are also Aztec and Indian religions in Calradia. Muslims are separated into two major branches as Sunni and Shiite as usual, but there are also other branches specific for Calradia. That's applies to other religion groups. Christianity in Calradia is a little bit different. There are no Catholic church and the Pope from Rome in Calradia. Instead, and except for classic Orhodox church from Eastern Swadia and frontiers of Vaegir, the most common belief is Calradic church and the spiritual leader of Calradic Pope from the city of Suno. But they will be in other future diaries. Khergit Khanate contains reflection of Tengrism named Steppe Pantheon mostly. There are Sunni religion in Halmar and some part of Narra and, there are also Jews in Halmar's ducal vassal named Unuzdaq who trying to get rid of the pressure between Muslims and Christians just like the real world's Khazars. In the east, there are minor Nestorian community around the Asugan Castle and border of Sarranids.
Just like we said from the past diaries and messages, Khergit culture has diversified among it's own group. We can say the same thing for the other factions. There are almost one main culture lies within every de jure kingdoms because most of the Khergits are nomads. We have Nomadic culture (Mongol Portraits) for reign class, up north there is Ergenek culture (Cuman Portraits) in Ichamur inspired from Ergenekon Saga from the Turkish culture and also there is a minor Bozkirian culture (Cuman Portraits) from the Warband's Steppe Bandits just like you know. When we get close to the west, Najar culture (Turkish Portraits) salutes us from the historical fiction movie named Kahpe Bizans (English: Perfidious Byzantine) shown as fictional Nacaroğulları (Najarids) folk. Najars yet are nomads and believing in pagan religion but, is a new Sunni generation who prefers sedentary life is coming. Further west, there is Tarkhan culture (Turkish Portraits) inspired from the original Turkish culture and they will be expend to the inland Sarranid Sultanate in the future versions. The Jewish bey from Tarkhans is exactly in here.
Speaking of Halmar, there is also a pretender of throne who claims with the death of previous ruler, lands of Khergit Khanate and the hers should be shared equally between the Sanjar and Dustum as two sons of the last Khan but there is a rumor of Sanjar lied everyone and claimed all the lands of Khergits. That pretender take refuge in Halmar and you know what his name, Dustum Khan. The reason of that is completly making things interesting. Like I said, Halmar is the only tribute who settled in between the Khergits. Therefore they're stronger than the others but they're less in numbers of vassals and holdings. Halmar seems the only option who can use the Dustum Khan's claim and resist against all other Khergits than the others. Still they can be beaten by the superiority of numbers. Narra or Ichamur lords can also stand with the Halmar.
If I can say more about the Khergit Khanate, that will be the vassal system. We talked about the Ichamur and Narra at empire rank and independent just like the Sanja Khan in Tulga but they're allied as tributes. In addition, Tonju bey from Ichamur don't calling as Khan. He has the title of Wang from the Warband's mod named "Expanded nobility title system" just like in the other named Floris Mod Pack. In this way, all the three major beys and minor ones are separated as titles than Sanjar Khan. Kingdom level Nomadic Clans also calling as just like the duchy Noyans. If you have a vassal ranked count he will be titled as Darga, and Taishi for barons.
Clan system is another feature we proud of. We're using the dynasties to naming the map and flags for titles. That's right; whatever faction, culture, religion or rank you have, your primary title will have your dynasty CoA, just like in the Warband! Other flags for your other titles will also generating randomly. Therefore we have various and compatible flag/dynasty system. But unfortunately, our map will also naming as our dynasty name. There are no any last name nor the dynasties in Warband so, we named them as their owned lands. And that become a nice dynasty system. Khergit dynasties are calling as Clan but that will be different for other factions.
And now I'm ending of another nice and amusing diary to wrote but long while reading. Next chapters of this series will not be long as this one but there will be always pleasent and lots of good screenshots. SPOILER ALERT! Next diary will be about the Sarranid Sultanate! Hope to see you a few days later.
Edit: Sorry for bad grammar etc.
