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DD #13 - Warlord Rising
Hello everyone! The first day of ModCon is already over, and for those who were able to catch the stream we hope that you enjoyed it and the EK2 panel!
In this fine evening we will talk about the first bookmark of Elder Kings II, 'Warlord Rising'.
In Elder Kings I, the earliest start date was set in the 450th Year of the Second Era, at the beginning of the Interregnum. The Elder Council had just seized power in the Heartlands and established the Imperial Commune 20 years after the last Akaviri Potentate was assassinated, and most of Tamriel was broken down in petty states and small feudal realms.
In Elder Kings II, we also want to explore the events leading up to the Interregnum, and some of the drastic changes that occured within a handful of years.
In Warlord Rising, we allow you to see and take part in the war between Attrebus Sosildor, General of the Colovian Estates, and the Akaviri Potentate remnants led by Aixnieras Chorak, distant descendant of the last true Akaviri Potentate Savirien-Chorak.
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Meet the players - Attrebus & Aixnieras:
NOTE: You might notice that the bookmark UI is a bit different compared to vanilla. Our UI wizard managed to make it so all bookmarks sharing the same date can be grouped together and only shown when needed, which considerably increases how many bookmarks we can make accessible.
Our first protagonist Attrebus Sosildor is a young but already famous general, who led some of the Cyrodiilic forces right after the assassination of Savirien-Chorak, as bandits and other nuisances were taking advantage of the chaos to harass the countryside.
Raised under the Prelate Claber of the Abbey of the Eight, he received the Prelate's burning zeal and hatred for all those who corrupt the land - Daedra, vampires, and heathens.
He sees the remaining Akaviri remnants as a dire threat to the people of Cyrodiil, and pledged to rid the Imperial Province of those who would oppress her.
After rousing the common folk and petty lords around Chorrol, he formed the Colovian Estates and got the support of Colovian great lords such as Kvatch or Skingrad, and even the Elder Council backs him - as they saw his war as an opportunity.
The other side of Cyrodiil is ruled by Aixnieras Chorak, son of a bastard son of Savirien-Chorak, the second Akaviri Potentate. After the assassination of Savirien-Chorak and his heirs, he managed to hold control over the Imperial Isle as the rest of Cyrodiil, and Tamriel at large, refused the rule of another Potentate.
As Attrebus was mounting his army against him, Aixnieras convinced most of the Nibenese lords to pledge themselves to him, if at least for a while, as this Colovian warlord would surely destroy the carefully crafted peace of the previous Potentates and upset the balance of power between Colovia and the Nibenay.
While Aixnieras cannot pretend to have any authority over Tamriel, he will have to rebuild what was once the Akaviri Potentate, which starts with defeating the Colovian Warlord...
The War - Attrebus' Overthrow of the Akaviri Potentate:
As previously explained, Attrebus is leading a war against the Akaviri Potentate, with the first having the backing of most Colovian lords and the Elder Council, and the second holding the Imperial Isle and having the support of parts of the Nibenay.
Attrebus is also joined by his mentor and friend, Prelate Claber of the Abbey of the Eight, and his father-in-law, Ilavio Valentian, who stands to also take land should Attrebus' war end in a clear Colovian victory.
Aixnieras is joined by the Legionary's Council, the ruling body of the Imperial Legion. Due to the crumbling state of the Potentate, most of the Legion has been disbanded or deserted, but a few Tsaesci loyalists banded together and formed the First Legion.
This war is considered a total war, as no side will ever back down from the fight. The Potentate is fighting for its life, and Attrebus swore to destroy the Potentate once and for all and rid Cyrodiil of the remaining Tsaesci lords. As such, no white peace is possible. One side will have to triumph.
Attrebus' cause is however only as strong as he is. Should he fall in battle or due to a dagger in the back, his war will end and the Colovian Estates will shatter - with the Akaviri free to once again establish their rule over Cyrodiil.
A Triumphant Warlord:
Should Attrebus win, the Potentate will be shattered and Aixnieras, or whoever is currently named Potentate, be imprisoned. Attrebus will seize all land directly held by the Potentate, and will annex all the land formerly held by the Tsaesci ruler of the Imperial Isle.
In the east, Attrebus' ally, Illavio - or his line should he die before the end of the war, will seize some land as payment for their help during Attrebus' struggle.
Cyrodiil will now be at a standstill... The order of the past four centuries has been destroyed, and the Imperial Province now stands at a crossroad...
Attrebus' Reforms:
The Elder Council agreed to help Attrebus' cause under one condition: That the Heartlands be ceded to them, and that Attrebus enacts a few needed reforms.
Attrebus' popularity and power thanks to the war make him a prime candidate for some required but unpopular reforms, and he would be an easy scapegoat should some lords grumble once the Elder Council takes over.
To this end, Attrebus is given a set of tasks, which are vague missions that the Elder Council requires you to fulfill. How exactly you accomplish these is left up to the General, but should you play as him you will have to act quickly - the Elder Council might support you but they are not known for their patience.
As Attrebus, you will have a countdown before the Elder Council forcibly removes you from power, and leads Cyrodiil into the Interregnum.
To enact your reforms, you will have to show the Elder Council that you are actively working on it, by fulfilling some Required Tasks.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: All the tasks you see here are work in progress. Their numbers are not final, what they require are not final, what they give in return is not final. This is an early draft of the process, so it may significantly change. The general idea however should stay.
As you can see, the Elder Council requires Attrebus to do three things:
- Deal with the Tsaesci Remnants of Cyrodiil - The Akaviri Potentate ruled Cyrodiil for long enough, and it is time that Cyrodiil take its own course, free from the tyranny of the snakes from Akavir. You will have to forcibly expell all the Tsaesci lords in Cyrodiil, and ensure that no province in Cyrodiil has the Tsaesci culture.
- Pay your debt back to the Elder Council - The Elder Council bankrolled you for years, and paid for most of the war efforts. It is expected of you to use your new power as lord of the Imperial Isle to pay your debts. While seizing the Imperial City alleviated most of it, what you owe to the Elder Council is still sizeable.
- Secure the Heartlands - As the Akaviri Potentate fell, the Heartlands were attacked and parts of it seized by dangerous foreigners. It is up to you to make sure that the Imperial Isle is safe.
We will take a closer look at one of Attrebus' required tasks, Debt of a Warlord.
As previously explained, the Elder Council funded most of your war effort, and they want you to pay them back before you hand the Imperial Isle back to them.
To this end, you have to give them a total of 2000 gold. How exactly you get this gold is irrelevant, the Elder Council's only wish is that you get it and hand it over to them. You may ransom some prisoners, raises taxes in Cyrodiil, or even take the Plunderer Tree and start raiding! Who knows.
Once you have the required gold, you will be able to take the decision and pay your debts, fulfilling your second task.
Each required task that you fulfill gives you 5 more years as Lord of the Imperial Isle, 5 more years that will be necessary to fulfill your other required tasks, or to work on more... Personal ambitions.
A Warlord's Ambitions:
Attrebus has been given emergency powers by the Elder Council, and while they expect you to only work on what they ask you to, you might be tempted to also serve your own ambitions.
These ambitions are also handled via the tasks system that was previously explained, but these tasks are required optional. They do not increase your time as Lord of the Imperial Isle, and some may even *decrease it*, as the Elder Council might start to get worried.
Some of these tasks can be used to elevate yourself as a Cyrodiilic Hero, or to rebuild the First Legion - who could very well be loyal to you and only you.
The Colovian Cincinnatus:
Your powers are only temporary. The Elder Council needed you for a while, as Cyrodiil needed your guiding hand, but after a while they will expect you to hand them the Imperial Isle and usher the Interregnum.
The state of Cyrodiil once you hand back power to the Elder Council depends on your actions.
If you paid back your debts, the Elder Council will start much richer.
If you managed to Secure the Heartlands, the Elder Council will receive all the titles within the de Jure Kingdom of the Heartlands, and be known as the Lord-Protector of the Heartlands. Otherwise they will simply be the Lord-Protector of the Imperial Isle.
The Empire title that you held for a while will be destroyed, and the Interregnum will finally begin. Cyrodiil, and Tamriel, will now follow its own course, free from any Emperor or other tyrant... For the time being.
As Attrebus, your fate is now in your hands. You still control Chorrol, and still have friends in the Prelate Claber and your ally in the east. Perhaps it is time to spend more time with your family?
Or perhaps you wished that it did not happen that way?
The Colovian Caesar:
Of course, the Elder Council expects you to relinquish power.
But what if you did not?
What if you thought that the Elder Council stood in the way of what Cyrodiil needs the most?
What if you were able to placate the Elder Council long enough to get powerful allies and fulfill enough optional tasks to refuse the EC's claim, and instead hold on to the Imperial Isle for yourself?
IMPORTANT NOTE: This section is even more WIP than the rest. Most of it will probably heavily change before release, even though once again the general idea should stay the same.
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Powerful and ambitious players will have to be very careful and play their cards well. Attrebus' claim is almost non-existent at game start, and no one will accept your rule.
But over the years, you will have opportunities to make yourself more powerful. The First Legion might declare themselves loyal to you, you might get your father-in-law to back your claim by offering him the title of Imperial Count of Bravil, and the common people may support you, especially those of the Imperial Isle, if you shower them with gold and prosperity.
And when it is done, you may decide to convene the Elder Council, and tell them that their service is no longer required...
Of course, they will refute your claim. But while most would probably falter and back down, you may find yourself with enough backing and power to force the Elder Council's hand.
You will start a second civil war, this time facing the Elder Council's champion. Once more your actions will change how the war goes, and Cyrodiil will once more hold its breath.
If successful, the Elder Council will name you Potentate and leave you alone for the rest of your life. You will still be able to complete some optional tasks, and this time without the Elder Council behind your back.
However, keep in mind that even if you get named Potentate-for-Life by the Elder Council, the civil war will have been devastating for Cyrodiil. Having just seen the second Potentate brutal murder, the crushing war between you and Aixnieras, and the final war between you and the Elder Council, it will be severly weakened and you may be forced to relinquish control over most of Cyrodiil... For a while.
The Colovian Augustus?
Of course, Attrebus being named Potentate raises the question of Emperorship. Even though Attrebus holds a lot of power, and might be considered one of Cyrodiil's greatest champions, he still does not hold nearly near the influence of the likes of Reman or Alessia - he lacks the Dragonblood after all.
Him being named Emperor as a follow up to the second civil war is unlikely, but a possibility that we keep in the back of our minds.
For now, once Attrebus dies, the Interregnum starts. There is no way for him and his line to hold power beyond that.
A Victorious Potentate:
Now, what if Attrebus loses? What if the Potentate stays in power and crushes the warlord?
A Potentate victory is definitely possible and needs to also be explored. However work on it has not started yet, so you will have to wait longer - we first want Attrebus' side of the story to be complete.
That was a long DD to write, and I hope a good DD to read!
We hope that this week has been good for Elder Kings fans, but do not worry, it is not yet over! We still have a few teasers to show you over the week-end!
For those who couldn't watch it, you can find the
replay of the first day of ModCon on Youtube!
And we are not alone, a lot of other mods have a lot of things to share and show.
Have a fantastic week-end, and we will see you next time!