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CK2 Dev Diary #34: Facts about Artifacts, Real talk about Relics

Hello all, it’s been a while, but it’s my turn to write a Dev Diary again! Today I’m going to tell you about the Treasury system we’re adding in 2.7. This system itself is part of the free patch. However, a lot of the content for it is part of Monks and Mystics.

The Treasury is where characters store their items, such as weapons, artifacts, or holy relics. In many ways items are much like Character Modifiers which you are likely already familiar with, but Character Modifiers are a fairly limited and not entirely clear system. With the new Treasury system we have greater control over how they work and when they are active as well as more UI space to display and explain them. Not only that, this system allows items to be inheritable and stealable.

We hope that seeing your character’s items as physical object rather than just a number on their character sheet will offer greater immersion, especially for player who like to focus on role-playing. Sure, in the past you could find a nice axe to increase your personal combat skill, but it was just another number - now you’ll see a gleaming axe, ready to hew the limbs from your foes!
artifacts_example_isolated.png

this is not quite final artwork, but it should be similar to what we end up with

As an example, say your Character has found the Holy Grail - you will now see the Grail in your Treasury with a picture and a description as well as the effects of owning it. Further, if some Norseman comes along and raids your castle, there’s a chance that he’ll make off with your precious Grail - however, since he’s not a Christian your most holy relic is nothing more than a fancy cup to him.

As mentioned, items are also inheritable, they all go to a character’s primary heir. In the event someone dies without an heir, the items will pass to their liege if they have one, but they have a chance of being lost in the process. If an independant character dies without heirs, their items are lost - although if time permits we have talked about them having a chance to be snapped up by powerful vassals.

For 2.7 we’re converting several character modifiers into items, such as the +1 axe you might find while raiding, the saint’s bones you might find on a pilgrimage, or the trophy you made from the skull of your rival. With Monks and Mystics we’re adding a lot more, such as:
  • Commissioning swords from skilled smiths.
  • Buying fabulous Crown Jewels.
  • Hunting for Holy Artifacts.
As well as the items you can find or make while playing, we have also added a system to place some Artifacts into character’s Treasuries when a new game is started. These are mostly placed at random to keep things interesting, but there are also a few historical artifacts given to famous characters.
Paradox_CK2_TreasureChamber_big_v02.jpg
 
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Some stuff from legends and myths I assume. Or in Start dates after charlemagne pieces of the true Irmungsul. Some stuff forged by dwarfs.
Sigurd had like dozen swords so you could start there. Like I said I hope they don't let people possess the big items from norse mythology, No Mjölnir, Gungnir, Skräpp, or Gjallarhorn. Though clues to the location of Skräpp* could be a really cool relic. I mean those would be sacred beyond sacred, the keys to winning the ragnarök, but they're not strictly speaking magical.

Skräpp is Frey's sword, and it is the most powerful weapon in norse mythology, the sword which fights without a wielder, the only weapon that can defeat the flaming sword of Surtr and prevent the end of the world in Ragnarök, it was given to the giants in exchange for Frey marrying one of their kind, and if the gods are to win it must be found before the day
 
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Finding Mjölnir wouldn't actually be the Mjölnir but just a hammer people believe it is. Since there aren't any gods there can be no Items of Gods, but people might believe it.

Some Items might start a crisis in faith tough ;)
 
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Finding Mjölnir wouldn't actually be the Mjölnir but just a hammer people believe it is. Since there aren't any gods there can be no Items of Gods, but people might believe it.

Some Items might start a crisis in faith tough ;)
except no one who truly believes in the Norse faith would believe such a thing was actually Mjolnir; it's Thor's weapon/tool, and if he doesn't have it then the whole world is f*cked in a bunch of different ways due to a bunch of reasons throughout their mythology.
 
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Roland, Charlemagne and Ogier should each have their legendary swords, Durendal, Joyeuse and Curtana.
 
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I didn't see anything in the thread, but can we also plot to send thieves to steal items from the targets treasury?

I asked the same thing about the Intrigue focus and got the answer "No (would be nice to add though)", so I assume that the same goes for plots (which actually might be better to use as not everyone has WoL).
 
Drink malmsy from the vat of George Duke of Clarence ?

Just pick out the hairs floating around in your cup and don't mind the off kilter taste. I'm sure Clarence's malmsey has a kind of a flip floppish flavor..given his history of inconstancy.
 
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So what kind of holy relics would you get for religions outside of the Abrahamic faiths? Like the Pagans or Dharmic?

Some cool stuff the Germanic religions could have are weapons, or items, crafted or said to have been crafted by either dwarves or Weyland. If I recall Weyland is credited with a bunch of different swords, but I know I could be wrong on this.
 
Some cool stuff the Germanic religions could have are weapons, or items, crafted or said to have been crafted by either dwarves or Weyland. If I recall Weyland is credited with a bunch of different swords, but I know I could be wrong on this.

But I'm quite sure germanic isn't the religion we should fear about getting to less content.

What will we get for the other pagans?
 
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Finding Mjölnir wouldn't actually be the Mjölnir but just a hammer people believe it is. Since there aren't any gods there can be no Items of Gods, but people might believe it.

Some Items might start a crisis in faith tough ;)
Well it would be pretty obvious it wouldn't be since it would not cause a lighting strike with it's hit nor return to the throwers hand. And again if a mortal came to posses it their chief duty would be to return it. Thor's battling against the ice giants is what keeps winter at bay (hence why thunder is the most common in spring and autumn, and why it always precedes a shift in the weather).

except no one who truly believes in the Norse faith would believe such a thing was actually Mjolnir; it's Thor's weapon/tool, and if he doesn't have it then the whole world is f*cked in a bunch of different ways due to a bunch of reasons throughout their mythology.
Excatly thank you.
 
I think this is a good idea - I'm not bothered by things like a "Masterwork Sword" because the alternative is about 50 different versions "+VLFBER+T Sword" and "Damascus Sword" only to find them spontanously no longer become available after a certain date.

Certainly, this will reduce the clutter on the character sheet.

What about pets? will they go in the "Treasury"?
 
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Hopefully this will introduce lots of saints relics which were historically important in certain regions as this would certainly help with the immersion side of things. Following on in this train of thought, it would also be cool if this feature introduced canonisation of former rulers.
 
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except no one who truly believes in the Norse faith would believe such a thing was actually Mjolnir; it's Thor's weapon/tool, and if he doesn't have it then the whole world is f*cked in a bunch of different ways due to a bunch of reasons throughout their mythology.


Maybe. But consider. There is enough wood of the true cross to have dozens of them.

It's possible to sell everything ;)
 
@Darkrenown question, can non landed characters hold artifacts?
 
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Maybe. But consider. There is enough wood of the true cross to have dozens of them.

It's possible to sell everything ;)

That is not refuting his argument. The point is that in the Norse faith having Mjolnir would both be an easy thing to prove/disprove but also, and most importantly it would be blasphemeous to posses it, the cross is not really comparable to that in any way.
 
Is it possible to reward items from your treasury to loyal subjects, like Councilors and Commanders? This would liven up gameplay for Tribals and Counts, and be historically accurate.
 
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But I'm quite sure germanic isn't the religion we should fear about getting to less content.

What will we get for the other pagans?

I agree that the "Germanic" religion isn't most in need of stuff, but its the one pagan religion part of the game that I an idea for. If I knew more about Slavic, Baltic, Tengri or Zunist religions I would happily add suggestions for them as well. But as it stands I have to wait for other people, more informed than me on these subjects, to make posts about it.

Also the Zoroastrians and Manicheans could also use some love in this regard.
 
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