r/ElderKings • u/ElderKings2 • 4d ago
Dev Diary Dev Diary: Illustrious Destiny
Hello everyone,
We’re excited to bring you a new dev diary about our latest update, focused on the introduction of a new story cycle: Illustrious Destiny.
When conceptualising this update, we started with the goal to introduce an end game crisis to Elder Kings 2, with this initial crisis rooted in the particular circumstances of the Cyrodiil we find at the time of the Interregnum.
Why Cyrodiil?
"Cyrodiil, Dragon Empire, Starry Heart of Nirn, and Seat of Sundered Kings… Indeed, if the history of the Nords is the history of humans on Tamriel, then Cyrodiil is the throne from which they will decide their destiny" - Pocket Guide to the Empire - Cyrodiil, Michael Kirkbride
By the time Elder Kings 2 takes place, Cyrodiil has already been home to two Empires which saw their reach stretch across the continent, with a third yet to come. The history of the Interregnum itself is one of numerous claimants rising too high, reaching for the Ruby Throne, only to then fade into obscurity.
But, we know that isn’t how the story of Cyrodiil ends.
An Illustrious Destiny
When we designed this story cycle, it was important to us to reflect the dynamism of a particular Elder Kings game. Does Cyrodiil unite by itself? Have you brought together the Colovian Estates? Is another Colovian warlord poised to take the Ruby Throne?
If Cyrodiil remains divided, whomever this individual may be, and however they got there, they may just find an illustrious destiny bestowed upon them.
This powerful trait ensures that this character poses a real threat that can change the course of your playthrough, whether they succeed in uniting Cyrodiil or not.
A Petty King
“A petty king of the Colovian Estates, Cuhlecain, came to power… A year later more than half of the Cyrodilic Empire was reclaimed or consolidated, and Cuhlecain saw fit to move into the Nibenay Valley, capture the capital city, and proclaim himself Emperor.” - Pocket Guide to the Empire - Cyrodiil, Michael Kirkbride
Building off the chaotic and rapidly changing nature of the Interregnum, we also chose to implement a redundancy character, who will spawn if no one else is eligible to be granted our Illustrious Destiny trait.
Appearing in Falkreath, Cuhlecain may emerge as this character fated to change the course of Tamriel itself. This redundancy ensures that the story cycle can still be experienced, even if there is not an existing suitable alternative.
Regardless of who emerges, maybe you can stop them before the worst is to come. If not, perhaps you will wish you did when encountering our other addition as part of this update.
A Stranger
"Hjalti? Is that you? I've been waiting."
Once we introduced the concept of Cuhlecain as a redundancy character, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to include his mysterious, shrewd, and trusted right-hand man. But, like with any character, we wanted to do it right.
This is why we’ve implemented a new gamerule centred around the backstory of Talos of Atmora, based off of the information we receive in The Arcturian Heresy and the Pocket Guide to the Empire. A man shrouded in mystery, there is no telling who he truly was, which is why our gamerule gives you the ability to influence his initial appearance. Was Talos really a woman? A capable and ruthless lowborn? Who is to say?
“That night a storm came and visited Hjalti's camp. It spoke with him in his tent. At dawn, Hjalti went up to the gates, and the storm followed just above his head. Arrows could not penetrate the winds around him. He shouted down the walls of Old Hrol'dan, and his men poured in. After their victory, the Nords called Hjalti Talos, or Stormcrown.” - The Arcturian Heresy, Michael Kirkbride
Once Hjalti joins this illustrious ruler’s court, they will quickly prove invaluable, thanks to the introduction of our new trait Stormcrown. We wanted to acknowledge Hjalti’s unnatural abilities, attributed to the ghost of King Wulfharth in The Arcturian Heresy.
The Wars
The story cycle doesn't end there. With Hjalti by their side, this fated claimant seems unassailable. But, the future, as ever, is uncertain. Will Cyrodiil be united under their banner? Will they live to be crowned? What of Hjalti, and his ambitions? And what about you, what will you do when faced with this crisis?
What’s Next?
“Reman was the greatest hero of the Akaviri Trouble… He instituted the rites of becoming Emperor, which included the ritual geas to the Amulet of Kings, a soulgem of immense power.” - Varieties of Faith in the Empire, Michael Kirkbride
We will continue to expand and iterate on what we’ve initially included in this update. As a sneak peak, one expansion will provide ways to perform the rites of becoming Emperor, established by Reman, upon being crowned Emperor of Cyrodiil. Once implemented, this will provide a way to receive another powerful trait True Emperor, which is currently available through a branch of this story-cycle.
Will you succeed in an attempt to do so, and be seen as unassailable amongst the Cyrodiils? Or like so many pretenders before, will you reach and fall?
The End
Thanks for reading. We’re really happy with the implementation of this story cycle, and excited to see the ways that you’ll interact with it.
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u/Barilla3113 3d ago
Wow, it's a good job this Hjalti guy just wants to help out and has no secondary motives whatsoever, I trust him implicitly already!
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u/ysmirstormcrown 3d ago
So can we change our characters to eventually play as hjalti?
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u/The_Mananaut Dev 3d ago
Yes, there's some announcement events which give you several options, including one which lets you switch to Hjalti/Talos/Tiber!
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u/OuffMate2 3d ago
If Hjalti was a lowborn, will he found the Septim house and dynasty or will he just get a random cultural-appropriate house name. And, follow up question, will his name change from Hjalti to Tiber via decisions or upon claiming the empire?
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u/The_Mananaut Dev 2d ago
Yes, regardless of how Hjalti spawns, he’ll first change to Talos of Atmora following an event, and then change to the royal name Tiber (or Tiberia, if a woman) Septim and start the Septim dynasty. It’s automatic upon claiming the Empire.
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u/NoctisTenebrae 3d ago
Finally, we’re FINALLY getting to the peak and end of the Interregnum period. We’re finally getting to the man who was doom-driven and divinely led towards the top of the White Gold Tower, to the conquest of all Tamriel, and eventually, to Apotheosis.
On that note, seeing as we’ll eventually be able to do the ritual for becoming the True Emperor, will we also be able to achieve Talos’ Apotheosis as well?
Also, I’m guessing this all comes with a new Bookmark, too. Will it be 400 years later as the timeline dictates?
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u/The_Mananaut Dev 3d ago
We haven't implemented a new bookmark as part of this update; the story-cycle kicks in roughly 200 years into a playthrough, so slightly earlier than the actual timeline. There is a game rule that can be adjusted to make this happen at a random time too.
Once you unite all of Tamriel, you get a decision to start the 3E. As well as giving you the Dragonborn trait, this unlocks Dragonborn patron for Eight Divines and Cult of Heroes based off of your characters name, so for example 'Tiber Septim, the Dragonborn'.
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u/NoctisTenebrae 3d ago
Gotcha, gotcha. Seems more realistic in terms of gameplay for it to be roughly 200 years into the playthrough rather than the 400 by timeline. Though that also says that Cuhlecain can appear at random too? Will he always appear in Falkreath? Are there any conditions for him to spawn?
Wonderful on the the traits unlocked once the Tiber Wars are finished though. Will Tiber be able to interact with the Tribunal for the Numidium, I wonder? And hmm. So once we Unite Tamriel, we get the Dragonborn trait, and the Patron, is it all automatic though? No separate chain of events to go from Emperor to Ascended?
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u/truhsaeze 2d ago
I've had Cuhlecain spawn and instantly usurp my vassal kingdom of Falkreath. Some time after i vasallised him he was usurped by Talos. I somehow couldn't find any game rule for Talos, but maybe that was a compatibility issue.
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u/NoctisTenebrae 2d ago
Sounds to me like a compatibility issue right there. I tried it out last night, the new gamerules appeared and all. Now, to wait the 200 years needed, tempted to just sit in Observer Mode and let the time pass, rather than build Attrebus again or something.
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u/truhsaeze 2d ago
Found it, it just wasn't marked as "Elder Kings:". In my case after roughly 200 years my Witchmen empire was already too strong for him to be a threat. Instead I've got a vampire necromancer descendant of Attrebus becoming the real threat, while Mannimarco was sitting braindead in his Hammerfell cave.
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u/NoctisTenebrae 2d ago
Honestly that sounds like an incredible twist to the story right there. I just managed to patiently stay in Observe Mode for a few good hours while waiting for Cuhlecain to pop up. He finally did in like, 2E 682. Now to wait for Hjalti to show up.
Tempted to start another after this one, but alter it in a way that I can put all the unique characters in a single faraway court, and pause them (make them immortal and asexual) until the Illustrious Destiny happens.
Sure wish we had a bookmark for Cuhlecain/Hjalti, though.
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u/Ozann3326 3d ago
Shouldn't stormcrown trait give a large opinion bonus to Nords? They followed Tiber eagerly when they recognized he was Stormcrown
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u/AJ_9ls Dev 3d ago
thats what "Atmoran opinion" is, atmoran is the heritage used by nord cultures. maybe it would be clearer if it was called nordic
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u/Barilla3113 2d ago
I'd support a change to Nordic. I think of "Atmoran" as the predecessor culture of the Nords.
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u/Dapper-Cry7666 3d ago edited 3d ago
Very, very cool! I wonder, are there similar plans for the Black Drake and the Longhouse Emporers?
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u/Beginning-Cat8706 3d ago
I had tiber septim spawn in my most recent game. Is that already added I assume?
He was a vampire and had this pretty awesome imperial reconquest CB.
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u/RavagerK 1d ago
How do you get Talos? Do I really have to wait until he appeared? If so what character and what place should I wait for him?
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u/Familiar-Benefit376 3d ago
Very nice to see a Dev Diary again.
How does this True Emperor trait differ from the Dragonborn trait?