The Volkihar Incident

[Humanoid Typhoon]

So I just started up a new game today and I couldn't decide who to play so I hit random and got the Thane of Bannerwatch in Eastmarch of Skyrim.

After a few mostly uneventful years, Harkon, Serana and the rest of their family randomly show up in my court.

So I check Castle Volkihar and lo and behold, somehow he was deposed by a celibate, absent minded clown who was unlanded. Looking at Harkon's traits I noticed he was a known vampire. Simultaneously loving the attention to detail of EK and fearing death because the strongest vampire I know of lore-wise just rocked up on my doorstep so I begin to plot to kill him.

Mere days later the plot fires and who other than his daughter Serana confirms it. The plot succeeds with no problems and here I make my biggest mistake....

Looking at Serana's traits I notice she is not a "known" vampire, has excellent intrigue and (even though I killed her father) a good opinion of me. Naturally, I was in need of a good spymaster so I put her to work on the council. Feeling quite chuffed I had a character from Skyrim working for me I proceeded on with my usual gamey antics but wait, what's this? Yep the good old carriage off a cliff event. I check my known plots and wouldn't you know, she turned on me in less than a month to support my baron cousin from another county in his plot to kill me.

So my 2 year old daughter takes the throne and the following year went as you would expect. Consequently my entire dynasty was wiped off the map and all of this happened in less than 10 years of starting the game.

I had a good laugh watching this unfold before me so I decided to share this short story with everyone. I'd love to hear if you guys have any similar tales.

Also if you enjoy reading AAR's and you like how this was written or you think it could be improved, let me know and I might make one in the future.

Bravo to the EK team. All the work you guys put into this is amazing. I can't wait until the 1.6 release!

 

[EmperorG]

I thought they fixed Harkon losing his lands so damn easily? In 1.5 he always had a peasant revolt knock him out because he started as a known vampire, which for some reason also insta killed Serena if her dad loses the throne. The weirdest part is that the peasant rebel is a follower of Molag Bal, so he really shouldn't give a shit his former lord was a vampire.

 

[aruon]

I thought they fixed Harkon losing his lands so damn easily? In 1.5 he always had a peasant revolt knock him out because he started as a known vampire, which for some reason also insta killed Serena if her dad loses the throne. The weirdest part is that the peasant rebel is a follower of Molag Bal, so he really shouldn't give a shit his former lord was a vampire.

molag bal followers don't/didn't (don't have time to check) don't have the positive opinion of vampire modifiers, which i'm guessing is just a minor oversight. what i want to know is if there's anyway to have the volkihar survive without being invaded for 1000s of years.

 

[Humanoid Typhoon]

I thought they fixed Harkon losing his lands so damn easily? In 1.5 he always had a peasant revolt knock him out because he started as a known vampire, which for some reason also insta killed Serena if her dad loses the throne. The weirdest part is that the peasant rebel is a follower of Molag Bal, so he really shouldn't give a shit his former lord was a vampire.

That's a shame, i've never taken much notice until now. Although i'm not annoyed about him dying off quickly, it's just nice that he is included in the game and you can play as him if you wanted to.

molag bal followers don't/didn't (don't have time to check) don't have the positive opinion of vampire modifiers, which i'm guessing is just a minor oversight. what i want to know is if there's anyway to have the volkihar survive without being invaded for 1000s of years.

Boosting his castle up a bit so he has a really good starting garrison would help but I couldn't see it being a long term fix. Maybe there could be modifiers for the Molag Bal cult that is when a county is of their religion they get a large defense boost much like the Mordva religion in vanilla CK2.

 

[EmperorG]

Boosting his castle up a bit so he has a really good starting garrison would help but I couldn't see it being a long term fix. Maybe there could be modifiers for the Molag Bal cult that is when a county is of their religion they get a large defense boost much like the Mordva religion in vanilla CK2.

That wouldn't help much, the reason he loses to the peasant revolt is because the AI refuses to raise its army when sieged and only owning 1 province. Giving them a better castle would mean that the peasant revolt would just sit there and siege till the end of time, since it would lack the manpower to win.

 

[sbman]

I've seen Harkon commit suicide Serana take over, she then go's about converting herself and the entire Provence to the all maker faith.

All I can say is strange things happen on that island.

 

[Humanoid Typhoon]

That wouldn't help much, the reason he loses to the peasant revolt is because the AI refuses to raise its army when sieged and only owning 1 province. Giving them a better castle would mean that the peasant revolt would just sit there and siege till the end of time, since it would lack the manpower to win.

Good point, I didn't think of that.

I've seen Harkon commit suicide Serana take over, she then go's about converting herself and the entire Provence to the all maker faith.

All I can say is strange things happen on that island.

Hahaha i'll be keeping an eye on Volkihar in the future, that's for sure. By the way I started another game today but as a different count in Eastmarch and Harkon became unlanded and turned up at Bannerwatch again. This time my former character was lenient and only banished him but someone else executed him anyway. Serana was killed by a rabble too.

 

[kart72]

you could give him an event troop, which would stay there and engage peasants or give him an event for an occasion like that, that grants him troops when someone declares war on him but not when he declares war. Remeber those gargoyles outside the castle? They could play the role of heavy cavalry. It even makes sense since they are guardian gargoyles and should only be used for defending the castle and shouldn't leave it's proximity. Also heavy cavalry beats light infrantry hands down and that would be most of the rebel army, plus since gargoyles are made of stone they can are as sturdy as knights in heavy plating, but are also fast moving and capable of charging an enemy (or smth similar) as seen in game.

 

[Korbah]

You can't stop the AI from moving their armies about.

 

[pbr7994]

can you use events to despawn event troops?
If so then you could just despawn the troops if the AI tries to move them and then make a new stack of the same troops on castle volikhar again?

I'm thinking the give the event troops set commander that can't be changed with a trait like 'Gargoyle' (more defence or such) for example, then if the commanders location is not volikhar then his troops are completely destroyed and he is killed, then replaced with a new stack of gargoyle led troops...

Not sure if it would work, just theorising

 

[EmperorG]

can you use events to despawn event troops?
If so then you could just despawn the troops if the AI tries to move them and then make a new stack of the same troops on castle volikhar again?

I'm thinking the give the event troops set commander that can't be changed with a trait like 'Gargoyle' (more defence or such) for example, then if the commanders location is not volikhar then his troops are completely destroyed and he is killed, then replaced with a new stack of gargoyle led troops...

Not sure if it would work, just theorising

Or give the gargoyle's a commander with negative movement speed so high that it would take a century for him to get off the island.

 

[kart72]

removing event troops shouldn't be a problem. Take the events for the tribal event troops and change unit type, unit amount and make them come up when Harkon is in a defensive war and go off when he's at peace.

 

[Ivir Baggins]

Or just have a trigged province modifiers massively lowering revolt risk until Harkon/Serana either die or take another province.

 

[pbr7994]

Or just have a trigged province modifiers massively lowering revolt risk until Harkon/Serana either die or take another province.

well...
that would be a whole lot easier...

 

[EmperorG]

Or just have a trigged province modifiers massively lowering revolt risk until Harkon/Serana either die or take another province.

That's.... actually a great idea! Why didn't I think of that?

 

[aruon]

actually the modifier for volkihar should be permanant since all it is is a castle on an island and all the courtiers there represent the entire population of the holding no matter who's there. too bad features can't be attached to provinces as well, or castle volkihar could always be its owners' culture and religion. or maybe event 55001 (change provincial culture & religion) could fire upon new owner?

 

[John2Lionheart]

Please fix and add thank!

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Soundtrack ^_^

 

[Korbah]

add thank!

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Soundtrack ^_^

Never going to happen.

 

[John2Lionheart]

Never going to happen.

THank you Kind sir.!

May the nine divines bless us and bring us hope!

F it just offer paradox your work your team join with them and create a separate elder scrolls game on a grand strategy scale. PLease.....use the CK2 game engine or? And GG big profits as it be the only fantasy and (tes lore) grand strategy game on the market!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

)) oh i love this game and your mod and please do this and will i get my 1% of shares? DDDDDDD

Talos bless you. lol

 

[Miklu]

THank you Kind sir.!

May the nine divines bless us and bring us hope!

F it just offer paradox your work your team join with them and create a separate elder scrolls game on a grand strategy scale. PLease.....use the CK2 game engine or? And GG big profits as it be the only fantasy and (tes lore) grand strategy game on the market!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

)) oh i love this game and your mod and please do this and will i get my 1% of shares? DDDDDDD

Talos bless you. lol

Oh wow, you actually are just a troll. At first I just called you that to piss you off