Crusader Kings III News

[p]Hello and welcome! I am @Trin Tragula, one of the design leads at Studio Black. In this third regional feature diary for All Under Heaven, we will be covering Southeast Asia, with a special focus on the new Mandala and Wanua government types and how we will use them to highlight the unique aspects of the region itself. We will also cover the new Great Project feature, as well as how we deal with Tributaries in this expansion; while tributaries were introduced in Khans of the Steppe, they don’t work in quite the same way for these sedentary states.

[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]In our timeline, this region was quite different compared to China in the north. It's extremely diverse, with a wide range of faiths and cultures within it.
[/p][p]\[Screenshot of Southeast Asia in the 867 start]

In large parts, Southeast Asia is home to a wide range of tribal polities. These are spread over a geographic area that is just as varied, featuring deep river valleys, jungles, and high mountain ranges. In such a place, waterways (seas as well as rivers) are what links peoples to each other, but despite skilled boat builders and sailors, the region presents many challenges in keeping a larger state together.

Realms in this region have, up until recently, tended to be much more transitory in nature than China, Europe, or even India. The norm here is a looser network of city-states bound together by personal loyalties to popular and powerful rulers; these then break apart after the death of the personality that brought them together.
[/p][p][/p][p]\[Screenshot of Borobudur]

In the Dharmic faiths of India (Buddhism and Hinduism), rulers have found the authority and unifying ideology needed to unite larger realms. They are still centered around great leaders, but with Brahman priests as their allies, they aspire to become living gods: Devarajas.

The Devaraja concept is built upon the Indian idea of an ideal ruler, someone who rules with the gods' favor. In Southeast Asia, this morphs into the idea that a popular king is actually a god personified himself. Religious ritual and kingship blend in enormous temple cities, where subjects and remote tributaries alike all come together to fund and construct great public works. Monuments can be both religious and expressions of royal power, as giant statues of Dharmic gods carry the face of the very ruler walking among his subjects. The capital temple complex becomes the center of a Mandala, with subservient villages, cities, and tributary kings surrounding it.

Nonetheless, even the Devaraja realms have a fleeting element. Smaller states may pay tribute to the god-king, but after one dies or a more persuasive one makes themselves known, they can reconsider their allegiance; on the periphery of the Mandala realm, loyalties change quickly.

Southeast Asia is, as mentioned, a diverse region. Alongside the states like the ones I have described here, there is also the Viet and the Kingdom of Nanzhao (later Dali) that operate quite differently. We covered these in a previous dev diary by @PDX_Chop so we will not talk about those again today, but this introduction would be incomplete without mentioning them.

I will now hand over to @Distantaziq, who will discuss how we have endeavored to portray the region. They’ll detail the mechanics we’ve developed to represent the Mandala realms and the surrounding non-Dharmic tribal realms in All Under Heaven.

[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Greetings! I'm Distantaziq, one of the designers working on All Under Heaven!

Today, we will be exploring the God-Kings and Queens of Southeast Asia -- Mandala! Historically, these governments heavily rely on religion and faith, revolving around the one Mandala ruler who stepped up with the claim to be a divine being.

[/p][p]\[Map of the Kingdom of Angkor in 1066 with tributaries and vassals]

From a balancing perspective, the design intent with Mandalas is to present the player with a new challenge. As we will discuss below, Mandalas start out weaker, especially compared to being consistently powerful Feudal or Clan government rulers of comparable size. However, if you overcome the initial difficulties, you work over generations to reach unseen heights of power – as long as you take care not to lose your divinity, and prepare your heir accordingly…

[/p][h3]Godmode?​[/h3][p]As mentioned, Mandala revolves around faith, and in line with this, Piety will be the Mandala’s main resource.

Building your first Mandala Capital Temple Complex? Use (mainly) Piety.
Designating your divine heir? Use Piety.
Convincing your immediate surroundings that you indeed are a divine being that they should devote their life and kingdoms to? …well. Accumulate Piety.

And Piety levels!
[/p][p][/p][p]\[The tooltip for Level of Devotion, featuring additional Piety levels]

The Mandala government, being so thoroughly intertwined with faith, religion, and divinity, has unique access to three additional Levels of Devotion: Divine, Demigod and Godlike.

Now, how do you become Godlike, you might ask? Well, it's simple: It is divinity proven over generations.
[/p][p]\[A truly Godlike Ruler of Angkor]

Or more practically put: if your character reaches one of the new Levels of Devotion, your successor gains a buff that allows them to progress to the next Level of Devotion, and so on. This can continue until you establish a lineage of godlike characters.

Oh, and make sure not to die the wrong way in relation to your Aspect. Did you ever hear about that Serenity-Aspect God king who died from a local epidemic? No? I didn't think so.
[/p][p]\[9 levels of devotion in a grid, ranking from Sinner to Godlike]

And yes, we do need to showcase some truly decadent art icon renders for this specific feature!
[/p][h2]A Matter of Temples​[/h2][p]So, what more might a mighty God-King Devaraja possibly need in this world, you might ask? Well, how about temples?

In All Under Heaven, we’re introducing an additional holding type: the Temple Citadel. This will be the main holding for Mandala rulers, and will also be valid as a capital for most other landed governments (alongside the Castle Holding) in order to ensure it remains viable if the area is conquered by a non-Mandala ruler.

The Temple Citadel of your capital is the main location for your Capital Temple Complex; a temple with additional defences and a fierce focus on Levels of Devotion, and the foundation for any self-respecting God-King. These Great Buildings are built using the new Great Projects feature, which are collaborative efforts between yourself and your subjects. More on them in a future dev diary!

The resulting Great Building, or Capital Temple Complex, supports your realm in expanding your domain limit and vassal limit within your Mandala realm, and by increasing your Radiance as a God-King (your ability to attract tributaries and vassals).
[/p][p][/p][p]\[The building breakdown for the Capital Temple Complex Great Building, complete with 5 levels]

Of course, only a Mandala may enjoy the effects of such a building. Should you stop being a Mandala or if the building should come under control of a feudal or tribal heathen, it won’t have much use other than possibly as a tourist attraction.
[/p][p][/p][p]\[One of the effects of completing the base tier Capital Temple Complex Great Project]

Did you just start off as a new Mandala and didn't get the Temple Citadel memo? Well, no Temple Citadel, no problem!

[/p][h2]What's Your Aspect?​[/h2][p]Before even starting the construction of a Capital Temple Complex, the Mandala ruler needs to pick one of four Mandala Aspects. Loosely based on the Hindu god aspects, these Aspects should heavily impact the way you choose to approach your Mandala playthrough.[/p]

• [p]Creation[/p]
  • [p]Unlocks bonuses to chaining construction and gains piety from child rearing[/p]
  • [p]Should primarily pass on through peaceful means[/p]
• [p]Serenity[/p]
  • [p]Unlocks bonuses to Befriending, as well as including Allies in the Request Contribution interaction[/p]
  • [p]Should primarily pass on through peaceful means[/p]
• [p]Destruction[/p]
  • [p]Unlocks additional Casus Belli and bonuses to Military Power[/p]
  • [p]May also pass on through combat or certain violent deaths[/p]
• [p]Trickery[/p]
  • [p]Unlocks additional schemes like Disbelieve Mandala and provided bonuses to certain Schemes (like using Coerce Tributary against someone of a higher tier)[/p]
  • [p]May also pass on through being murdered[/p]

[p]
As one may note in the breakdown, as well as mentioned in a previous paragraph, you don't just get to die in any way to have your heir be able to level up to the next level of devotion -- a God of Destruction may die on the battlefield and have their existence be canonized, but a God of Trickery dying from being a drunkard? Maybe not so venerable.

Each of the Aspects also come with their own set of requirements in order to achieve the next level of the aspect. This system, together with your Level of Devotion and Capital Temple Complex Tier feeds into…
[/p][h2]Mandala Radiance​[/h2][p]Multiple rulers in Southeast Asia claim to be the next Devaraja, asserting their own divinity? Well, how impressive is your Temple Complex?
Mandala Radiance, which indicates your attractiveness and helps you gauge your competition, is unlocked as soon as you have orchestrated the construction of your first tier Temple Complex.
[/p][p][/p][p]\[Work in Progress mapmode for Mandala, denoting who might accept a Tributarization offer]

This Radiance should heavily impact who the minor rulers of the area should want to pledge themselves to. They might even leave their current Suzerain if that ruler is perceived as impious to join a more attractive Devaraja.
[/p][h2]I Decree…​[/h2][p]Compared to Aspects, Decrees offer a more flexible way of ruling your realm. So, what do you decree, oh Divine Ruler?
[/p][p]\[Image of the Mandala Laws window, depicting the Decrees]

Choose your Decree to primarily affect the current focus of your devotees (or subjects, however you want to call them). Is your current focus Prosperity, Expansion, or Reverence right now? What do you aim to do next?
[/p][h2]Tributary Status​[/h2][p]A Mandala's main subject will be the tributary. With faith being more relevant than cemented relations via vassalization, this system is intended to give a fairly loose realm setup.

Mandalas hold less land directly, instead relying mainly on their tributaries. While vassals still exist in a Mandala realm, they are more limited here than in other governments. You can also integrate more tributaries as vassals as you expand your Capital Temple Complex. A tributary is unable to engage in factions, has less opinions about what you get up to, and can engage in Tribute Missions to their Devaraja. On the other hand, they also might break away if you turn out not to be as divine as you say or if you treat them badly.
[/p][p][/p][p]\[A grossly overstepped domain limit]

All of this is reflected in lower domain as well as vassal limit, and more tributaries on game start.
[/p][h3]War is Not the Answer?​[/h3][p]The emphasis in the Mandala realms is offering alternatives to simply going to war to claim new tributaries or expand your realm and divinity. Subjugation wars, for instance, will generate regular Tributaries instead of piety-granting Mandala Tributaries unless you go heavily into the Destruction Aspect.

One of these alternatives-to-war is the new scheme Coerce Tributary, which is one of the cornerstones for Mandala play. It is a Political Scheme that looks at your chosen Mandala Aspect and associated skill, then allows you to attempt coercing another ruler to become your Tributary -- that you're the divine ruler they've been waiting for.
[/p][p]\[The Mandala Ruler is anticipating the outcome of the successful Coerce Tributary scheme - events are still Work in Progress!]

Beware though; if the Tributary you're chatting up is already a Tributary, then their current Suzerain might incentivize them to stay, or you might even have to fight in order to defend that Tributary as they break away and join your fold.
[/p][p]\[The Suzerain of the targeted Tributary gets the option to intervene in the Coerce Tributary scheme - events are still Work in Progress!]

Or you don't help them, which severs their Tributary status and burns your bridge with that particular Tributary.
[/p][p]\[The target of Coerce Tributary was incentivized to stick around, costing the Suzerain a bunch of resources - events are still Work in Progress!]

Regardless, you may have gained a new Tributary, but you definitely meddled with their Suzerain's (presumably a competing Mandala ruler) plans.

[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]The islands are a virtual petri dish of faiths and cultures. We have very few sources of documentation from the time before larger faiths and realms significantly influenced the cultures and beliefs of the islanders.
[/p][p]\[Screenshot of Maritime Southeast Asia in 1066]

In light of this, we have aimed to add the most prominent ones.
[/p][p][/p][p]\[Screenshots of the Philippines in 1066]

Including small bits of Papua, the lion's share of the maritime Southeast Asian archipelago is featured on the map.

[/p][h2]Wanua​[/h2][p]This is a heavily sea-based government form, which historically (as mentioned) came under the subject of larger realms and religions. They are still a tribal government type, however, and as such, live under its constraints. If you want to progress further and become more advanced in terms of innovations and development, then you will want to eventually adopt a different style of government.

As the Wanuas are in the islands of Southeast Asia, a couple of Mandala upstart kingdoms are already available (some which later morphed into more powerful historical kingdoms like Srivijaya or Majapahit after our end date). However, if one desires to embark on the journey from Wanua to a powerful Mandala God-King, then that is entirely possible.

As long as you either have adopted a Dharmic faith (or worked hard enough to reform your own faith), it is but a simple button press away, granting you access to islands that are ripe for the picking…
[/p][p][/p][p]\[A screenshot of the Adopt Mandala Rule Decision for the Wanua Rulers]

In addition to the cultural flavor, Wanua will be able to traverse the sea and raid, naturally. We are also looking into more ways of making the Wanua feel special and fun to play; for example, being more dependent on Legitimacy (which they would receive from being Mandala Tributaries).
[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Another addition with All Under Heaven is the Great Projects feature! This allows several rulers to come together and fund various parts of projects that would be very expensive or take ages to fund individually.
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]The Mandala Great Project​[/h2][p]For Mandala, the Capital Temple Complex is such a project; a physical manifestation of your spiritual might where your followers may come to pay tribute or simply worship you. The temple comes in 5 tiers, and once you have completed the first tier you have officially started your path towards godhood (should you manage to defend it, of course).
[/p][h3]Mandatory Contributions​[/h3][p]Each tier requires a specific set of contributions that you or any of your subjects may fund; depending on who funds it, that specific ruler gains the spoils of such a benevolent act, as well as the appreciation of the founder (in this case you).
[/p][p][/p][p]\[Work In Progress Great Project window featuring the Contributions of a Mandala Capital Upgrade]
[/p][h3]Optional Contributions​[/h3][p]There are also optional contributions, for those who absolutely must have that golden dome, that yield additional rewards for the contributor.
[/p][h3]Request Contribution​[/h3][p]If you are just starting off on your Mandala journey or your subjects for one reason or the other needs an additional nudge in order to actually contribute those archways to your project, there's also the Request Contribution button.
Inside, you may be able to incentivize their request via hooks, bribes, forcing them with your oppressive pious spirit - whatever might convince them to make the right call.

Once you have completed the final tier -- an achievement likely spanning generations -- you will have proven yourself an established Devaraja ruler and will receive huge bonuses to your Mandala way of life.
[/p][h3]Chinese Great Projects​[/h3][p]In China, the great projects are more focused on large-scale infrastructure and other improvements that require several contributors; examples include building sections of the Great Wall or improving the Grand Canals.

These projects allow the Emperor to either contribute significantly on his own, displaying his might and benevolence as the Son of Heaven, or they present an opportunity for ambitious subjects vying for the imperial graces…
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Another opportunity for benevolent actions that improve your own standing is provided by the Great Projects that spawn from Natural Disasters. While Natural Disasters may spawn in geographically turbulent areas all over the map, only those in China will affect the Dynastic Cycle and potentially impact the Emperor’s standing, depending on how they deal with it. More on Natural Disasters and their implications for the Dynastic Cycle will be covered in a future Dev Diary.

Needless to say, this feature opens up significant opportunities for modding and new additions; not only grand buildings, but great feats of humanity which can be showcased for generations to come!

[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Both Mandala and Hegemonic tributaries may go on Tribute Missions to their Suzerain, primarily to strengthen their own Legitimacy, but also to partake in the wealth and grandeur typically associated with their Suzerain.

[/p][h2]Mandala Tribute Missions​[/h2][p]Historically, the act of paying tribute was often both a matter for states and a very direct personal action, with one ruler acknowledging another as their better and bringing them a gift to prove this. The fact that one party considers the other their suzerain does not mean that there cannot be reciprocity however; in return for paying tribute, the tributary might gain benefits at home (they appear as a more rightful King due to being acknowledged by a more powerful Suzerain) or even receive gifts to bring back home (essentially a form of trade).

Since the passive payment of a resource over time does not quite cover the interpersonal aspects of a relationship like this, we have added what we call Tribute Missions to be used for tributaries of the more voluntary types that you see in East Asia. To preserve these relationships, at least one such tribute needs to be undertaken per Suzerain's lifetime.

The Pay Tribute missions start off with a Decision which allows you to determine what tribute you want to bring, and types vary depending on the Suzerain. For example, if they utilize Eunuchs (like the Chinese Admin government) you may gift a Eunuch. If they have concubines (again, like the Chinese Admin government) you may gift a concubine. Standard tributes of Gold or Herd (if you're a Nomad tributary) are always available.

[/p][p]\[Image of the Select Tribute character interaction for a Hegemonic Tributary]

Once you’ve decided what kind of tribute you’re offering, you set off on a journey towards your Suzerain's capital! Upon arrival, you are greeted by the Suzerain (if they have a Royal Court, you are received at the Court), where you exchange gifts. First, the Suzerain receives your gift, and you may attempt to influence what the reward will be - or you leave it up to the discretion of the Suzerain.

Similar to the type of tribute being offered, the type of reward the Suzerain may choose between vary depending on if you're a Mandala or the Emperor - a handful of options might be to:[/p]

• [p]Award them with additional Trade Posts that increases the development of the Tributary's capital[/p]
• [p]Award them with an artifact for them to bring back and display to their people[/p]
• [p]Award them with a monk, to mend their heathen ways (for Mandalas to give to their tribal tributaries who are still unreformed)[/p]

[p]
You start traveling back home once you’ve received your reward, eager to showcase the gift and enjoy the legitimacy you received from your tribute. Now I will hand the word over to @lachek, who implemented the Hegemonic / Celestial Tributary types.
[/p][h2]Hegemonic Tribute Missions​[/h2][p]Hello again! @lachek here, and I'm excited to once more discuss Tributaries with you! As mentioned above, tributaries were first introduced into Crusader Kings III to support nomadic gameplay with Khans of the Steppe, where they modeled the unique subject-overlord relationship between a tributary and their suzerain. On the vast expanse of Northern Asia, nomadic tributary relationships were mostly held together through military domination, either implied or by actual display of force. Nomadic rulers can demand that neighboring realms fall in line under them by building up a sizable horde, or simply go out and enforce it through warfare. Through a cascade of such relationships, enormous swathes of the plains can be held together under a single suzerain. However, they can collapse just as quickly due to migratory patterns or a foreign conqueror cutting off a key part of the chain.

We also implemented a Subjugated Tributary type available outside the steppe to represent rulers dominated by more powerful neighbors and made to pay tax to their overlord.

However, none of those types adequately represent how tributary relationships functioned in either Southeast Asia or China. Therefore, we are introducing both Mandala tributaries and the Hegemonic/Celestial types (more on the distinction later), where the relationship is more contingent on one-sided respect and a gift economy.

[/p][h3]Celestial Tributaries​[/h3][p]These are realms within China's sphere of influence that recognize the Emperor as the Son of Heaven and pay him a great deal of personal respect (not to speak of material wealth). In return, they are granted recognition and sovereignty by China. Unlike tributaries on the steppe, this is not primarily a military arrangement but rather a one-sided show of deference, ultimately serving both parties in the end.

This relationship can be established by either party through character interaction, but is typically initiated by the prospective tributary themselves. Once established, the tributary has few immediate obligations: a little bit of Prestige and perhaps some Gold, in exchange for which some of China's Legitimacy is conferred upon them. It's usually a beneficial arrangement for both parties, especially since any taxes paid by the tributary goes directly into the Emperor's personal coffers rather than into the treasury. This makes it one of the few sources of direct income the Emperor has available for his own discretionary projects. Over time, the Emperor may decide to impose further standing obligations on some of their tributaries. Any increase in taxation or prestige transfer also comes with closer ties to China, however, thereby increasing legitimacy for the subject.

However, Celestial Tributaries are also expected to Kowtow to the Son of Heaven on a regular basis, bringing immense riches and gifts with them to reaffirm their deference and respect. This is fundamentally the same kind of Tribute Mission as in Mandala realms, with a few modifications. Unlike in Mandala realms, the Chinese Emperor always has some minimum expectation regarding the size of tribute, depending on the esteem in which the tributary is already held. This is tracked by a metric we call Imperial Grace, which serves several purposes:[/p]

• [p]It acts as a timer on how frequently you are expected to pay tribute; if you're only able to bring the bare necessities and wait until the last moment to reaffirm your respect, the Emperor might start to demand more frequent visits. Highly successful missions give you a longer grace period until your presence is once again expected.[/p]
• [p]It gives you an opportunity to adjust your relationship depending on what kind of tributary you want to be. Do you pay only nominal respect when absolutely required, just so China will overlook you when assessing their borders? Or are you a devoted subject looking for a closer relationship?[/p]
• [p]The decay rate of Imperial Grace increases during unstable periods of the Dynastic Cycle, reflecting the uncertainty of these times. Will you contribute to sustaining the ruling dynasty of China's legitimacy during troubles times, or seize on this moment to break the agreement and try to claim a piece of the pie for yourself?[/p]
• [p]As a Celestial Tributary you can quite readily adjust your own tributary contract's obligations, but changing it in your favor costs an amount of Imperial Grace.[/p]

[p]
Finally, at very high levels of Imperial Grace, the Emperor might decide to make China's relationship with its subject more permanent through the granting of a Seal of Investiture. This is an enduring artifact (regalia type, which can be reforged into a court artifact if you wish) that gives access to special privileges not usually available to subjects of China.

Trade Access: This privilege grants the tributary access to the domestic markets of the Chinese capital, resulting in a gradual closing of the development gap between the two realms' capital provinces. A low-development tributary enjoying this privilege could potentially propel itself to wealth and power compared to their less privileged neighbors within a few generations.

Family Access: This privilege negates the usual high acceptance maluses for marrying into the Chinese imperial dynasty, and even grants a small bonus to such dynastic intermingling.

Palace Access: This privilege lets the tributary's representatives roam the palace grounds, rubbing shoulders with ministers, governors, and sages in the seat of power. Tributaries with this privilege become active participants in the Dynastic Cycle and can join political movements to shape the future of China.

Once you have gained a Seal of Investiture, these become available as new contract privileges that you can activate in exchange for a one-time cost of Imperial Grace. This doesn't make the tribute missions redundant, however. The size of the bonuses you get from these scales with the degree of Imperial Grace you currently possess, so sustained tribute will only make your relationship with China more powerful.

It is important to note that a Celestial Tributary contract is a formal agreement between a realm and the Chinese Emperor. The contract is inherited upon death of either the tributary or the suzerain, but if the Hegemony title is lost then the contract will break -- even if another claimant dynasty later restores it. As long as the dynastic line is unbroken, however, accumulated Imperial Grace and the privileges that the contract yields can be maintained for centuries.

You may have noted I’ve made a distinction between Hegemonic and Celestial Tributaries above. A Celestial Tributary is a type of Hegemonic Tributary, specific to China. However, other hegemony titles (e.g. India or restored Rome) can also maintain Hegemonic Tributaries that share many similarities with Celestial ones. Instead of Imperial Grace these contracts have Subject Standing. They do not use the Seal of Investiture mechanic with its tie-ins to China-specific mechanics like difficult dynastic intermarriage or the Dynastic Cycle situation, but most other aspects of the contract work in similar ways with the same dynamics. This allows Hegemony-tier titles to use the tributary mechanic not only to expand their own de facto tracts of land, but also to accept recognition and deference from select surrounding realms they find useful to their larger strategy.

[/p][h2]Moddability​[/h2][p]I'll conclude this with a final note to modders. The Hegemonic/Celestial variants of tributary types now marks five distinct types I've implemented in Crusader Kings II (with Mandala tributaries being a sixth variant in All Under Heaven's release). I'm continually amazed at how flexible this system truly is in allowing you to model different types of relationships between realms that look nothing like a feudal liege/vassal system.

Anything from simple non-aggression between two specific rulers to long-standing extractive domination is possible, with the one caveat that it must always have an implied power imbalance. With the addition of Subject Standing, which tracks relationship strength over time and can theoretically be applied to any subject contract (including your typical vassal contracts, if so desired), there's a lot of fertile ground to represent entirely novel types in your own mods, be they focused on more granular historical accuracy or total conversions. So go wild!

And here we are handing the microphone back to @Trin Tragula, who will have another look at the map.

[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]As we did last time, we will conclude with a short overview of the map area relevant to this diary. Southeast Asia looks rather different in 867, 1066, and 1178, so for this I will be using a mix. If you are curious about anything in particular that I have not shown off feel free to ask us in the comments.
Like everything else shown in this diary, this is a work in progress, but we would love to hear your feedback on the things we’ve covered so far.

\[Faiths 867]

As was mentioned in the introduction, Southeast Asia has quite a complex mix of faiths and religions. We have tried to represent a reasonable amount of this variety, while also generalizing to avoid having overly small micro-faiths at the start.

Already by 867, Hinduism and Buddhism in various forms are dominant in large parts of this map, but older indigenous faiths are also present both on the mainland and the islands.
[/p][p]When it comes to cultures, the region is even more diverse in many ways. Notably, the Tai peoples are still found mostly in its northern parts. Historically, offshoots from this group would come to be politically dominant in many parts of the mainland, from modern Laos and Thailand, to Assam in northern India (the area labeled “Kamrupi” on this map).

Striking a balance between having too many or too few cultures from a gameplay point of view is never easy, but in this part of the world it is perhaps particularly hard. What we show here is both more simplified and more balkanized than we usually aim for.
[/p][p]This is a screenshot of the political situation in 1066, with the Song empire looming over the region in the north. The Srivijaya Empire (which was alive and well in the initial screenshot at the beginning of this diary) has been shattered by a relatively recent Chola invasion from India.
[/p][p]A quick overview of the Duchy mapmode. Many of these are not yet created on game start, as small realms prevail in Southeast Asia. Where other regions have a number of powerful dukes under their Kings, this region often sees duchies divided up between individual tributaries instead.
[/p][p]\[De jure kingdoms in 867.]

[/p][p]Last but not least, these are our de jure empires for the region! Nusantara may look big, but in terms of counties, it is not actually as enormous as it might seem. Not all parts of these islands are places with established states (i.e., counties) and the inland can often be impassable in places like Borneo or Papua.

[/p][hr][/hr][p]
That was all we had this time! This diary is also the last one before our summer break, but dev diaries will resume in early August. Until then we will of course still be attentive to the feedback you have provided to our diaries so far (including this one).[/p]

"Your kingdom, your call" announced the Crusader Kings 3 trumpets earlier this week when they put out a new player survey, which is a terrifyingly verbose achievement for brass instruments, but useful for anyone who wants to give Paradox their opinions on where the grand strategy game should head next, as well as get a few hints about the futures it might already be making plans for.

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[p][/p][p][/p][p]Studio Black is exploring concepts for what comes after Chapter IV, and we want your input to help guide the way forward! Shape the future of the game by taking a short survey about your preferences, expectations, and concerns around potential new mechanics for Crusader Kings III.

Player feedback plays a key role in what comes next for Crusader Kings III; by sharing your thoughts, we can identify which features resonate most with our players and what kinds of experiences players are seeking in our game. Your responses to this survey will have a direct impact on our design decisions by ensuring that the content we're making meets your expectations, so please fill out the survey via this link.

[p]Hey, I’m Chop, a designer working on the upcoming All Under Heaven expansion, particularly Japan and Korea. Speaking of which, in today’s development diary we will be exploring the Japanese archipelago and Korean peninsula! Let’s take a closer look at the gameplay mechanics of three new government types: Ritsuryō, Sōryō, and Meritocratic.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]The Japanese islands occupy an interesting position, being near enough to China to have been heavily influenced by its culture, but remote enough to have largely escaped direct interference from its Hegemons. Expanding to eventually cover the southern islands of Kyūshū and Shikoku, and most of the main island of Honshū, the Yamato people occupy most of the archipelago united under a single emperor, and with no real external threats.[/p][p][/p][p]However, the northern reaches of Honshū are populated by the Emishi tribes, further north the Ainu tribes reside on the island of Hokkaidō, and far to the south the island chains of Okinawa and Amami are home to the Ryukyuan tribes. Famed horse archers, the Emishi have long struggled against encroachment from their southern neighbors, who have launched incremental campaigns of conquest for centuries.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[The Japanese political map, note coats of arms are work in progress][/p][p][/p][p]Eagle-eyed diary readers will notice that Japan is no longer red, instead taking the Murasaki purple of the wisteria flower, to add some visual distinction from Chinese Hegemons of the crimson variety.[/p][p][/p][h2]A Fragile Peace[/h2][p]During our period, Japan transitioned from a peaceful bureaucratic realm headed by aristocratic families, to a military shogunate dominated by more pragmatic samurai families, but is still a largely unwarlike place, far from the more militarized Japan of the later Sengoku era.[/p][p][/p][p]Amidst all this, there is also a ruling emperor, or Ten’nō, who is nominally the head of state, but whose power varies considerably depending on the circumstances. The Yamato dynasty has held this position in an unbroken line from ancient times, even up to the present day.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[The government split inside Japan at the 1066 bookmark.][/p][p][/p][p]We strived to represent both of these styles of governments, as well the transition between them, along with the ever-present imperial family.[/p][p][/p][h2]The Ritsuryō System[/h2][p]In our earlier start dates, the Heian (Peace) era is in full-swing, following Emperor Kanmu’s establishment of the aptly named capital of Heian-kyō (now Kyōto) in 794. This bustling city’s palace is the center of the government bureaucracy and home of the imperial family, with the Manors of the aristocratic families close at hand.[/p][p][/p][p]Taking inspiration from China, Ritsuryō is the Japanese legal framework, and as in China, the many provinces of Japan are assigned to governors, or kokushi. Along with the many branches of the Fujiwara family, the other aristocratic families of note compete for appointments and recognition.[/p][p][/p][p]Unlike China, the government is de facto directed by a regent ruling on behalf of the sitting emperor. For gameplay purposes, we have simplified the naming distinction between regents of underage emperors, Sesshō, and those of adult emperors, under the unified name Kampaku. Though nominally a regent, the Kampaku is not in a Diarch relationship with the emperor, and both characters may have their own Diarch when relevant.[/p][p][/p][p]Historically the position of regent was totally dominated by the main line of the Fujiwara family, who tried to minimize the influence of the imperial family beyond their ceremonial roles and maintain their pre-eminence among nobility. The Fujiwaras were an extremely prolific family, whose influence and sheer size essentially dwarfed those of any other family, with almost 500 living members in 1178. Playing as another bureaucratic family attempting to unseat the Fujiwaras is a great challenge in itself, though not impossible.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[Example of Kampaku succession score][/p][p][/p][p]Becoming Kampaku works similarly to the Acclamation succession of Byzantium, and can be directly raised or lowered by spending Influence, but also has a unique system of specific weights related to the imperial family, and Blocs (which we will discuss more below).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[The Japanese province map][/p][p][/p][p]Also unlike China or other administrative government types in the game, provinces are largely county tier appointments, and generally a governor cannot hold more than one at the same time. This represents the historic Ritsuryō provinces, or kuni, of Japan, and the fragmented power of any one official. Almost all historical kuni are represented as counties in-game, except for a few exceptions which were deemed too small and incorporated into a neighbour, such as Iga, Shima, and Awa (in Chiba).[/p][p][/p][p]By default, Ritsuryō rulers cannot create duchies or kingdoms in Japan, even the Kampaku. Shrewd Houses may instead fill many appointments with their own members, leveraging their power as a united family rather than as individuals, a theme common in our Japanese features.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[The Japanese Manor domicile, art is work in progress][/p][p][/p][p]The Manor is a new type of domicile, unique to Japanese governments, with its own buildings, art, and bonuses. Sōryō (more on that shortly) is our only non-administrative government type that grants an estate-style domicile, retaining any upgrades when switching between the Japanese government types. Some building chains are only unlocked by certain House Aspirations, which will be discussed more later.[/p][p][/p][h2]The Chrysanthemum Throne[/h2][p]Though historically the emperor was largely sidelined, the Yamato family was still an influential political force. Over time, it became common for emperors to become monks, abdicating the throne to their heir to escape the direct responsibilities of the throne, while still influencing politics as a so-called cloistered emperor, or Hōō.[/p][p][/p][p]In All Under Heaven, the emperor is a playable character, a member of the Yamato family who holds a Noble Family and Manor like other Ritsuryō rulers, and has their own Royal Court. The emperor is only a valid candidate for the regency of Japan itself, while other members of the Yamato family are valid candidates only for governorships.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[The Emperor of Japan, note art is still WIP][/p][p][/p][p]If an emperor does manage to take the top title by Influence, they will receive an event where they are given the option to abdicate and rule Japan as a powerful cloistered emperor, or attempt to hold on to both titles, representing the historical possibility of renewed direct rule, though doing so will not be well received by the chattering classes.[/p][p][/p][p]Historically, many branches of the Yamato family were eventually disinherited to prune the royal ranks, taking new names, the most famous being the various Taira and Minamoto houses, identified by which emperor they descend from. In our game, Yamato governors can form or join these houses, organically creating new branch families.[/p][p][/p][h2]Imperial Policies[/h2][p]The sitting top liege of Japan, be they Kampaku, Shōgun, or Ten’no, always has access to a unique law category, Imperial Policies, issued in the name of the emperor. Despite the relative political stability, the policies of the Japanese government varied substantially throughout our era, as the bureaucracy was replaced and external politics changed. Like Crown Authority, Imperial Policies can be changed freely besides a cooldown.[/p][p][/p][p]There are a variety of available policies, suited to different objectives and situations, some with wide-reaching edicts which can substantially change the gameplay in the Japanese islands. For example, rulers in the empire of Japan are not able to freely declare external wars, representing the general lack of ambition for conquest besides extending the northern frontier for most of our period. However, by implementing the Imperial Expansion policy, the usual inter-realm casus bellis available elsewhere may be unlocked, along with a reduction to the cost of Mercenaries and Men-at-Arms.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[The Imperial Policies law window, art and vassal approval requirements are work in progress!][/p][p][/p][p]Other Policies change the balance between government types in Japan, or provide simple situational benefits at an opportunity cost.[/p][p][/p][p]Conversely, if Japan finds itself under true threat from an external invasion, the Defence Mobilization policy will become available, providing an extra edge in Advantage and allowing Ritusryo rulers access to the usually Sōryō-limited Mounted Samurai horse archer Men-at-Arms.[/p][p][/p][h2]House Aspirations[/h2][p]Each House in Japan has an Aspiration, similar to the House Powers of Byzantium, representing the character and goals of the family as a whole. Each Aspiration has several Levels, each granting new boons. The House Head may spend Prestige to increase the Level of their current Aspiration or change its Type, starting from the lowest Level once again when changing Type.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[The House Aspiration window, art very much work in progress!][/p][p][/p][p]Each type of Aspiration is focused on a different area, with some more suited to certain government types than other; Service grants bonuses to Governor Efficiency and Candidate Score, and is a good pick for those who wish to climb the bureaucratic ranks and serve emperor; Ceremony grants bonuses to Prestige and Renown generation, a sure choice for the noblest of families; Strength improves Men-at-Arms and martial skill, ensuring dominance on the battlefield.[/p][p][/p][p]Beyond the bonuses granted, the Aspiration a House chooses will also determine their political goals to a certain extent, and is a driving force in another new feature, House Blocs, which I will touch on a little later.[/p][p][/p][h2]House Relations[/h2][p]Our free patch accompanying All Under Heaven includes another family-oriented mechanic, the House Relation. These work similar to character relations like Rivals and Friends, but are between two Houses rather than two Characters.[/p][p][/p][p]Now, whenever a friendly or hostile action is taken between Houses within the same Realm or similar rank, such as declaring wars or arranging marriages, the Relation between the two Houses will increase or decrease.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[Example of a House Relation and the levels, art work in progress!][/p][p][/p][p]There is a spectrum of 7 levels, from Feud to Amity, with each rank towards the extremes modifying the Opinion of all House members to members of the other House. In addition, each level grants other bonuses or modifiers to standard gameplay when interacting with the other House, such as allowing the free negotiation of Alliances, or reducing the costs of all Wars.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[Work-in-progress image of the work-in-progress House Relation history window. It's a work in progress.][/p][p][/p][p]This change allows inter-generational disputes and collaborations between families to persist more organically, adding another layer of reactivity to the world. Like Character Memories, the reasons for changes over time are tracked, and can be similarly browsed to get a picture of how a relationship has developed over time.[/p][p][/p][h2]Blocs[/h2][p]With the fragmented political map inside Japan, we wanted a better way to depict the various political groups, and a way to allow them to defend each other without traditional Alliances, maintaining the fragile peace that so often prevailed.[/p][p][/p][p]House Blocs are our solution, and work similarly to the Confederations added in Khans of the Steppe, but with Houses as members rather than Characters. A Leading House acts as the main decision-maker of the Bloc, with other Houses considered to be their willing cooperators.  The House Head of the Leading House gets to decide which Houses are allowed entry to the Bloc, and may also expel other member Houses at will.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[The House Bloc window, still very work in progress][/p][p][/p][p]Each House Bloc has a Cohesion value, with additional bonuses for all members unlocked for keeping this value high. Cohesion is based on the number and governments of member Houses, whether their House Aspiration matches that of the Leading House, and the Relations between its member Houses.[/p][p][/p][p]The Aspiration of the Leading House acts as a sort of defining principle of the Bloc; a Service orientated Bloc will naturally represent Ritsuryō interests, while a Strength focused Bloc seeks to expand military power. The Aspiration of a House is not generally limited by their government type, and various combinations are possible. Generally multiple Blocs led by Houses of the same Aspiration type are not common, with interests coalescing around the most able leadership.[/p][p][/p][p]Crucially, Bloc members will automatically join the Factions of the House Head of their Bloc’s Leading House, increase their succession score for Kampaku (if they are Ritsuryō), and also join in their defensive wars, including Tyranny wars started by attempts at Imprisonment or Revocation. This makes challenging a Bloc something to consider carefully, and any wars that do occur are far more impactful than they would be if Japanese vassals were merely isolated county-tier rulers with scattered alliances.[/p][p][/p][p]In addition, acquiring governorships for members of Houses within your Bloc, be they your own or others, can directly aid in strengthening your Factions and succession score or preventing attacks to your position, while being without a Bloc leaves you worryingly exposed to your enemies.[/p][p][/p][h2]The Rise of the Bushi[/h2][p]As the Heian era wore on, many noble families, frustrated by the fierce competition for appointments with the Fujiwara, despaired of ever climbing the bureaucratic ranks, and instead left the capital, establishing manors in the provinces. Far from the disinterested aristocrats of the capital, the power of these families eventually grew to the point they ruled de facto as a hereditary local nobility.[/p][p][/p][p]We represent this by allowing Ritsuryō rulers to establish a held appointment as a fief, switching their government type to Sōryō. This is considered a crime by the Kampaku, and all Ritsuryō governors are able to use a casus belli which returns the title. However, Sōryō rulers pack more of a punch than the bureaucrats, with access to the Mounted Samurai horse archer Men-at-Arms type. In addition, Sōryō rulers will generally band together to defend themselves, making resisting their spread a less simple proposition.[/p][p][/p][p]By our last start date almost all of Japan was effectively beyond the reach of the Ritsuryō apparatus, instead now dominated by the rising bushi families, most notably the Taira and Minamoto houses.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[The political situation of Japan in 1178][/p][p][/p][p]By 1178, the head of the Kanmu Taira, Kiyomori, had effectively supplanted the power of the Fujiwara, ruling as a de facto dictator in a manner which would ultimately come to be known as a Shōgun. Just two years after our last bookmark, the Minamoto houses resisted the overwhelming Taira domination in the Genpei, or Minamoto-Taira, war, with their leader Yoritomo ultimately wiping out the Taira and establishing the first true shogunate in Kamakura.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Like Japan, the Korean peninsula occupies an interesting position as a heavily Chinese-influenced region, with its own deep cultural and political history. Though it is at greater exposure to invasion from the various states and tribes which lay to its north, it is a fairly developed mountainous region, and any threats will struggle to gain a foothold as long as Korea remains united.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[Kingdom of Goryeo in 1066, character art, coats of arms, and map are work in progress][/p][p][/p][p]By our earliest start date, the Gim dynasty of the Unified Kingdom of Silla in the east had long-subdued its main rivals, the kingdoms of Baekje in the south and Goguryeo in the north-west. The struggle between these three states, known as the Later Three Kingdoms or Husamguk, had raged for centuries, with Silla ultimately emerging victorious. Further north, the kingdom of Balhae, or Bóhǎi, straddles the hinterland between China, Korea, and the Jurchen tribes.[/p][p][/p][p]However, this status quo would not last long; a resurgent Goguryeo aristocracy under the Wang dynasty would ultimately overthrow Silla, establishing the Unified Kingdom of Goryeo based in Gaeseong, ruling the entire peninsula until the establishment of the Joseon dynasty in the late 14th century. Meanwhile, soon after Silla fell, Balhae was conquered by Khitan nomads, who would later establish the Chinese-influenced state of Great Liao.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[Unified Silla in 867 and the Unite the Husamguk decision, art is work in progress][/p][p][/p][p]We represent the unification of the Later Three Kingdoms via a special decision, Unify the Husamguk, which can be taken by any ruler who holds at least one of the kingdoms and has taken over the entire peninsula in a dominant position. This decision destroys the old kingdom titles and creates an empire-tier Unified Kingdom title, which may be named Samhan or Goryeo based on the culture of the unifier. This is the only way for a Korean culture ruler to form the Korean empire-tier title.[/p][p][/p][p]This decision also creates the Yongsun Throne, a special Primogeniture kingdom-tier titular title similar to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan. The name of this title may also vary based on the culture of the decision taker, with Yongsun, or Dragon, deriving from the legend of King Taejo the Great’s draconic heritage, the historical founder of Goryeo. In addition, the decision increases cultural acceptance between your culture and the other Korean cultures, making it easier to create a new Hybridized Korean culture, uniting the Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo peoples.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[Screenshot of the Unified Kingdom of Goryeo in 1178, art and map are work in progress][/p][p][/p][p]The new Unified Kingdom title also gains a unique Acclamation-style succession law, which is weighted towards the ruling Yongsun Throne dynasty. This leaves open the historical possibility of a powerful family taking control of the state from the royalty, as happened by our latest start date with the rise of the military dictators, or Banju, beginning with Yi Ui-bang and Jeong Jung-bu, leaving the royal Wang dynasty in a ceremonial position similar to the Yamato family.[/p][p][/p][h2]Meritocratic Government[/h2][p]Along with the Korean kingdoms, the kingdoms of Dai Viet, Balhae, and the Liao and Jin states will use a form of government similar to the Chinese Celestial Government, known as Meritocratic. This government type represents the largely administrative states heavily influenced by China due to proximity, interference, or their aspiration to claim the Mandate of Heaven as a conqueror.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[Map of governments in East Asia in 1178][/p][p][/p][p]Meritocratic governments retain the Noble Families, Estates, Merit, and Examinations of the Celestial government type, promoting their bureaucrats to governorships via a similar system, but may not hold Imperial Examinations of the highest tier. When other forms of government transition into administrative via decision, if they are near to Celestial China they tend to adopt Meritocratic rather than the standard Administrative type.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Let’s conclude with a little look at the current map, all of which is of course subject to change based on feedback and should be taken with a pinch of salt. Let’s start with the de jure title structures of the far east.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[De jure Empire mapmode][/p][p][/p][p]As you can see, Japan does not have de jure rights to the north of Honshū at game start, given the ongoing campaigns against the Emishi tribes and that part of Japan being the least integrated into the bureaucracy. Instead the kingdom of Hitakami, or Michinoku if ruled by Japan, is a de jure part of the empire of Amur, along with the islands of Sahaliyan and Hokkaidō in the kingdom of Aynumosir. On the mainland, the empire of Samhan, or Goryeo, is bordered by the empire of Andong, composed of Balhae and its environs.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[De jure Kingdom mapmode][/p][p][/p][p]Here we can see the internal kingdoms of Japan, made up of Tsukushi covering the island of Kyūshū, Yamato covering western Honshū and Shikoku, and Azuma covering most of eastern Honshū. On the mainland, Samhan is divided between its three constituent kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[De jure Duchy mapmode][/p][p][/p][p]As for duchies, Japan is split into regional administrative divisions based on the Gokishichidō circuits. As Ritsuryō rulers cannot create duchies, they will mostly be formed by powerful Sōryō lords, who will use their House names. The duchies of Samhan are based on the Mok administrative divisions of the kingdom of Goryeo. To the north, Balhae is split into its administrative divisions, while other areas are based on the dominant tribes of those areas.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[Culture mapmode in 867][/p][p][/p][p]Our cultures are still a work in progress, but broadly Japan is mostly united under the Yamato culture, while the cultures of Korea’s Later Three Kingdoms are yet to be united in the Goryeo culture present by 1066. To the north, the Balhae culture is a hybrid of Goguryeo and Mohe.[/p][p][/p][p]Our faith map is about to undergo a large overhaul, so I will hold off on that one this week![/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]That wraps up our topics for today, I hope you enjoyed this early look at Japan and Korea. Your thoughts and feedback are most welcome and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.[/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][p]Ladies and Gentlemen! My name is Uber, modder and co-organizer for ModCon. Paradox has kindly granted us the use of their heralds to spread the word about our great festival![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]PDX ModCon is the community owned and organised three-day showcase and celebration of Paradox mods; specifically those of Crusader Kings III, Imperator: Rome and Victoria 3. Over several live streams on YouTube we'll be presenting new trailers and showcases for over 40 mods. We have everything from updates to established mods like After the End and Princes of Darkness, to the introduction of new projects small and large.
[/p][p][/p][p]Besides that we will have live interviews with several mod teams, giveaways, and discussions with some of our community about mod-adjacent subjects. And throughout the event we will be gathering money for the cause that all of our games owe to: the monuments of the world. The World Monuments Fund has been working for sixty years to preserve, protect and rebuild the physical cultural heritage that we all benefit from. Whether that be rebuilding a Yazidi shrine destroyed by conflicts, guiding sustainable tourism to Khmer temples, or setting up an authentic garden in the Palace of Versailles. [/p][p][/p][p]Join us, starting this Friday the 13th! For more information, visit the official ModCon website and join the Discord server.[/p]