High Valyrian Courtiers

[Cherokee_Jack]

Just wanted to point out / complain that a lot of courtiers and councilors without dynasties still have High Valyrian culture on some starts and quickly start getting picked off by the culling events. I'm playing Driftmark in Robert's Rebellion atm and it's fairly annoying to have all my councilors dropping dead for no reason. Would it be possible to give all the characters the Westerosi Valyrian culture or does that one need to be granted by an event?

 

[D Toccs]

The game auto generates courtiers at the start of the game based on the liege's culture. This is hardcoded.

 

[Wandering Sentinel]

Too bad that can't be changed, it'd probably save a quite a few headaches.

 

[TheArrogantOne]

While we're at it... how does one remove the event that culls High Valyrians? My attempts have been unsuccesful so far..

 

[Wandering Sentinel]

I believe there's something in blackninja's Colonize Valyria submod that changes the event responsible and adds a flag tied to the restoration of Old Valyria, so perhaps getting the submod to take a look at it might help?

 

[Ols]

While we're at it... how does one remove the event that culls High Valyrians? My attempts have been unsuccesful so far..

Might be better to change its effect so that it automatically changes their culture to West or East Valyrian, depending on your location. Removing it outright might be a bit odd.

 

[Thousandflowers]

I hope this doesn't count as a necro but in my Mother of Dragons game i've found this problem rather frustrating myself; i'd love to set up some High Valyrian rulers but when I try to invite people to court I notice one of two things happens, either the courtier dies has as already been mentioned or, more amusingly, after a few months the courtier suddenly converts DNA and culture to the culture of the region; while keeping their name, religious belief and traits; is that usual?

Did anyone have any success in changing the kill courtier command to a convert to West/East Valyrian? Would save game editing work? I find it a little immersion breaking myself.

I was also a little bemused by the education system, if I want to give a child the 'heritage' focus there seems to be a disclaimer that this cannot be used to change a courtier to High Valyrian, is that the case? Would the converted courtier simply be killed off or would nothing happen at all?

 

[Ols]

I suggest you get yourself some Essosi Valyrian courtiers and land them instead. It's not especially difficult to do if you invade North Valyria.

 

[Thousandflowers]

Do you think save-scumming by changing the culture of promising courtiers would work? As I say i've had a number of High Valyrian courtiers who haven't been culled but have then culture converted, which is somewhat immersion breaking, though if I converted them to Essosi Valyrian in the saved game file (which I am sure would be possible?) would that work or would they still be culled/converted?

 

[Ols]

Do you think save-scumming by changing the culture of promising courtiers would work? As I say i've had a number of High Valyrian courtiers who haven't been culled but have then culture converted, which is somewhat immersion breaking, though if I converted them to Essosi Valyrian in the saved game file (which I am sure would be possible?) would that work or would they still be culled/converted?

You don't need to save scum. Press ¬ to open the console, then type "charinfo". Hover over the courtier and find out their character ID (a long number). Then type "culture 1111111 eastern_valyrian" to change their culture, replacing the number with the one you find. That should change their culture and make them live. Alternatively, use western_valyrian instead if you want a courtier in Westeros. The three other Valyrian cultures are tolosi, mantaryan, and elyrian.

I've also found that granting a High Valyrian courtier a dynasty via Raise to Nobility protects them from the cull, have you tried that? Another option is also to use the decision to summon a new courtier, which tends to give you a courtier based on a number of different factors including your capital location. If you moved your capital to Volantis (Essosi Valyrian) or Dragonstone (Westerosi Valyrian) you'll start getting the desired courtiers. Or sticking a vassal there will have them receive those types of courtiers in their own court, for you to grant land to.

 

[Thousandflowers]

Ohhh ingenious! Thanks for all the research, i'll give that a try; no more DNA-swapping courtiers for me!

 

[Ols]

Ohhh ingenious! Thanks for all the research, i'll give that a try; no more DNA-swapping courtiers for me!

You're welcome. Bear in mind that Essosi Valyrians have access to a powerful custom republican government type called Triarchy, just like Volantis. It'll make them very powerful if you create them as merchant republics because it gives them a number of unique bonuses and mechanics. In order to do that you'll need to make sure the primary holding of Astapor and Meereen are cities, as they'll be castles in the Feast for Crows bookmark. New Ghis' primary holding is always a castle, so you might want to change that too. For maximum overpoweredness you could give an Essosi Valyrian the Empire of Ghiscar, which would make them absurdly powerful in their area, and permentantly eradicate slavery there if you gave them an anti-slavery religion like Moonsingers or Faith of the Seven. If on the other hand you make them feudal, you can have them as Lord Paramounts like in Westeros.

 

[Sifyu]

You're welcome. Bear in mind that Essosi Valyrians have access to a powerful custom republican government type called Triarchy, just like Volantis. It'll make them very powerful if you create them as merchant republics because it gives them a number of unique bonuses and mechanics. In order to do that you'll need to make sure the primary holding of Astapor and Meereen are cities, as they'll be castles in the Feast for Crows bookmark. New Ghis' primary holding is always a castle, so you might want to change that too. For maximum overpoweredness you could give an Essosi Valyrian the Empire of Ghiscar, which would make them absurdly powerful in their area, and permentantly eradicate slavery there if you gave them an anti-slavery religion like Moonsingers or Faith of the Seven. If on the other hand you make them feudal, you can have them as Lord Paramounts like in Westeros.

Hm, so if I were to start up a republic as an Essosi Valyrian, my merchant republic would be set as a Triarchy? I need to test that! I didn't know how to set up Triarchy's but that's pretty useful.

 

[Ols]

Hm, so if I were to start up a republic as an Essosi Valyrian, my merchant republic would be set as a Triarchy? I need to test that! I didn't know how to set up Triarchy's but that's pretty useful.

They tend to switch to it, I'm not sure if the government change will be instant with ruler designer though. I managed to land an Essosi Valyrian in Yunkai and he became Triarchy, so I'm pretty sure it's cultural.

 

[Sifyu]

Hm. What if they were set up in Westeros and forced abdication of the monarchy route? I tried it but it doesn't seem to work that way (they become a magistrate instead).

Edit: Never mind. It works. Triarchy is certainly tied to culture BUT you must also be king tier (ducal tier ofc will mean Triarchy will not work). I tried it and am now a Triarchy in Westeros as the reach ofc).

 

[Ols]

Hm. What if they were set up in Westeros and forced abdication of the monarchy route? I tried it but it doesn't seem to work that way (they become a magistrate instead).

It depends if their capital is inland. As far as I understand it, the Riverlands, Vale and North are ineligible to form a merchant republic without a capital change. King's Landing is because it's on the coast. The other LP capitals should be too, but you'd have to check for the presence of a city and a port in their capital county to be sure - I know Casterly Rock lacks a city. They can't form a Triarchy if they don't meet the coastal capital requirement to form a merchant republic, and Westosi Valyrians do not form Triarchies (try landing House Qoherys or Orys Baratheon in a merchant republic during Aegon's landing if you want to test that).

 

[Sifyu]

It depends if their capital is inland. As far as I understand it, the Riverlands, Vale and North are ineligible to form a merchant republic without a capital change. King's Landing is because it's on the coast. The other LP capitals should be too, but you'd have to check for the presence of a city and a port in their capital county to be sure - I know Casterly Rock lacks a city. They can't form a Triarchy if they don't meet the coastal capital requirement to form a merchant republic, and Westosi Valyrians do not form Triarchies (try landing House Qoherys or Orys Baratheon in a merchant republic during Aegon's landing if you want to test that).

Never mind. It works. Triarchy is certainly tied to culture BUT you must also be king tier (ducal tier ofc will mean Triarchy will not work). I tried it and am now a Triarchy in Westeros as the reach ofc).

Plus what you said regarding them being on coastal too. I just RD'ed a essos valyrian on a coastal prov as a duke, imposed a faction to force change the monarchy and viola. A Triarchy Republic formed!

 

[Sifyu]

A quick note. It seems political parties are also unavailable to pick. I guess it makes sense.

 

[Ols]

Never mind. It works. Triarchy is certainly tied to culture BUT you must also be king tier (ducal tier ofc will mean Triarchy will not work). I tried it and am now a Triarchy in Westeros as the reach ofc).

Plus what you said regarding them being on coastal too. I just RD'ed a essos valyrian on a coastal prov as a duke, imposed a faction to force change the monarchy and viola. A Triarchy Republic formed!

As a general roleplaying rule I suggest the following republican capitals for each Westerosi Kingdom:

• Dorne: Plankytown
• Reach: Highgarden (switch to city) or Oldtown
• Stormlands: Storm's End (switch to city)
• Crownlands: King's Landing (switch to city)
• Westerlands: Lannisport
• Iron Islands: Lordsport
• Riverlands: Seaguard/Darry
• Vale: Gulltown
• North: White Harbour

 

[Arcvalons]

I've also found that granting a High Valyrian courtier a dynasty via Raise to Nobility protects them from the cull, have you tried that?.

Interesting. Do you know if that is working as intended, or is it a bug?