[Mods] Cybrxkhan's Immersion Packs - a library of small, modular flavor mods

[cybrxkhan]

CURRENT IMMERSION PACK:
PAMIR: ROOF OF THE WORLD
STEAM WORKSHOP DOWNLOAD | MANUAL GITHUB DOWNLOAD
Previous Immersion Pack: Dunhuang: Gateway of China | Next Immersion Pack: N/A
Please go to the second post to see links to all the Immersion Packs​

This is my collection of small, modular mini-mods that add some fun to various, often neglected cultures and regions. These Immersion Packs were loosely inspired by EUIV's, and feature a few flavor events and simple mechanics.

For those who don’t know me, I was the creator of CPR and VIET, part of the HIP collection of mods, though I no longer work on hat since my retirement a few years ago. Some of stuff here I’ve done for my own personal pleasure over the years after retirement. Consider these a spiritual successor to VIET Immersion, on a smaller scale.

I won’t be making a lot of stuff like I used to; I don’t have time nor energy. Thus, THESE MODS ARE OFFERED AS IS AND I WILL NOT COMBINE THEM INTO ONE MOD. I am only sharing them now as a resource for modders and for those who want a bit of flavor in their games and/or are old VIETerans who miss the good old days. I’ll only go back or add stuff to these packs when I feel like it or if there are bugs.

Currently, the following Immersion Packs are available (please see the second post for more details and downloads):

• Harranian: The Last Hellenic Pagans
• Peloponnesian: Sparta's Legacy
• Amalfi: The Forgotten Republic
• Dunhuang: Gateway of China
• Pamir: Roof of the World

Mods are compatible with everything unless otherwise indicated.

Please feel free to use my work in your mods, all I ask is that I am credited.


SCREENSHOTS

Please see the Steam links for more screenshots.

Harranians: The Last Hellenic Pagans

Spoiler

Peloponnesian: Sparta's Legacy

Spoiler

Amalfi: The Forgotten Republic

Spoiler: Amalfi Screenshots

Please see the Steam workshop page for more screenshots

Dunhuang: Gateway of China

Spoiler

Pamir: Roof of the World

Spoiler

 

[cybrxkhan]

LIBRARY OF IMMERSION PACKS​

Harranians: The Last Pagans
Steam Download | Manual GitHub Download | Immersion Pack Guide

Spoiler

Many do not know, but it is possible that the last Hellenic pagans were not the impoverished mountain peasants of the Peloponnese, but the cosmopolitan denizens of the city of Harran. For centuries, the pagans of Harran - erroneously confused with the Sabians in the Quran - have continued to worship a curious mix of Mesopotamian and Hellenic deities, and they even housed the remnants of the Neoplatonic Academy. Several Harranians famously served at the court of the Abbasids, and the temple in Harran may have been used as late as the 1000s (though this may be exaggeration).

In this Immersion Pack, you'll have the opportunity to interact with these pagans of Harran. In your hands is the fate of the Neoplatonic Academy, where wise men keep ancient learning alive, and the Temple of the Moon God Sin, where devotees have been praying for millennia. See to it that these pagans, a dwindling vestige of Hellenism, thrive, or as is inevitable, into the distant memory of the past.

Features:

• Province of Edessa is now Levantine Arabic and Hellenic pagan at the 769 and 867 starts via a hidden event at game start (to prevent compatibility issues)*
• Play as the famous Harranian scholar Thabit ibn Qurra or his great-grandfather at the 867 and 769 starts respectively (via event at game start if you choose to play as the Emir of Edessa to prevent compatibility issues), for a challenging, semi-historical Hellenic pagan start. Includes a CYOA event chain in the beginning to immersively customize your starting situation.
• Patronize the Neoplatonic Academy to have a higher chance of spawning better Harranian scholars in your court who can publish scholarly treatises for you
• Make offerings to the Temple of the Moon God Sin if you are pagan, or burn it down if you are not
• Narrative events for the decline of the Neoplatonic Academy and the destruction of the Temple of the Moon
• Moved the Hellenic holy site from Syracuse to Edessa
• Other miscellany such as 7 flavor events and 3 new soundtracks for Hellenic Pagans and Middle Easterners

As a side note, I know it’s a huge stretch to make Edessa pagan, but it’s honestly more sensible than making Monemvasia pagan, since Harran was a huge major city rather than a bunch of isolated villages in the middle of nowhere. There’s a lot of controversy and uncertainty in the scholarly community about the Harranian pagans (and a lot of bunk and wishful thinking in more mainstream, New Agey type places online). For more scholarly information on the Harranians, please see Tamara Green’s The City of the Moon God: Religious Traditions of Harran.

Peloponnesian: Sparta's Legacy
Steam Download | Manual GitHub Download | Immersion Pack Guide

Spoiler

On the coattails of the Harranian Immersion Pack, which focused on one group of vestigial Hellenic pagans, we travel now to the Peloponnesian peninsula, known among CKII players for being one of the last holdouts of Greco-Roman polytheism. In ancient times, it boasted fabled cities like Mycenae, Olympia, Corinth, and Sparta, but now, with the decline of the Roman Empire, the peninsula is in tatters. Slavic raiders and rugged Greeks squabble and fight, while foreign enemies look hungrily on this land that was once home to the feared Spartan warriors.

In this Immersion Pack, usher yourself into the world of the medieval Peloponnese. Utilize the military strengths of the peoples inhabiting this land, be they the Tsakonian and Maniot pirates, or the Slavic barbarians who have made this land their home. Support the local economy and maintain the Hexamilion wall, or, if you're mad enough to try and restore Hellenic paganism, revive old Doric traditions like the Hyacinthia festival of Sparta or the Fountain of Peirene in Corinth. Will the Peloponnese become the powerful center of the Hellenic world like it once was, or will it fade into obscurity?


Features:

• New Tsakonian culture in the Byzantine culture group that can raid and are seafarers. The culture is added via a hidden event at game start for maximum compatibility.
• Local Slavs, Tsakonians, and Maniots may arrive at your court or be levied via decision to fight your wars.
• Maintain the Hexamilion wall to protect the peninsula from invaders.
• As a Hellenic pagan, promote ancient Dorian culture by restoring the sacred Corinthian fountains of Peirene or hosting the ancient Spartan festival of Hyacinthia.
• Take advantage of local industries, including Corinthian Silk, Kalamata Olives, and Tyrian Purple Dye - but be careful, as the collapse of the Roman Empire might signify a decline in these industries
• Several historical characters such as Danielis and Georgius Gemistus, aka Plethon, can appear randomly via event and have some special flavor associated with them.
• And other miscellany, such as 6 Greek-themed soundtracks, 15 generic flavor events, 2 book artifacts, and some new Greek dynasty names

Amalfi: The Forgotten Republic
Steam Download | Manual GitHub Download | Immersion Pack Guide

Spoiler

Before the great merchant republics of Venice and Genoa, there was Amalfi. In Crusader Kings 2, it is a republic sandwiched between the receding Byzantine Empire to the south and the ambitious Lombard and Italian principalities to the north. This Immersion Pack will hopefully add some flavor if you're planning to rule Amalfi, whether as a Republic or not. I’ve even fixed the history files so you can play Amalfi from the 1066-1076 start dates - however, in these later years, it won’t be as easy a start, as the Republic is in decline, a shadow of its former glory, and it has a difficult starting position.

In this Immersion Pack, travel to the Amalfi Coast, which was considered a perfect resort location, even in Roman times. Take control of the fledgling republic, and defend it against oppressors, be they Byzantines, Saracen pirates, Lombard and Norman warlords, and even your fellow Italian Republics. Figure out ways to increase Amalfi’s strength and prosperity through a whole slew of new decisions and events. Will you rise above your rivals, and see to it that Amalfi remains a vibrant and powerful independent center of trade, emerging as the greatest of the merchant republics?


Features:

• Independent, playable Republic of Amalfi from 1066 to 1076
• Enact and reform the Amalfian Laws, one of the oldest maritime codes in the world
• Support, tolerate, or ban the usage of Bambagina paper on official documents
• As a patrician, choose to focus on different Amalfian industries (represented by modifiers) such as Amalfi’s famous lemon groves
• Restore and worship at the Temple of the Sirens in Sorrento/Surrentum as a pagan
• Establish the Amalfion, a monastery on Mount Athos famously housed by Latin priests
• Build a watchtower on the island of Gallo Lungo and appoint a Warden to protect Amalfi from pirates and invaders
• Unique provincial modifier to represent the vacation villas of the Amalfi Coast - even in ancient Roman times, it was a renowned resort region
• And other miscellany such as 4 Italian themed soundtracks, 28 new Italian dynasty names related to Amalfi, 24 flavor events about topics ranging from the Blue Grotto of Capri to the famous chestnuts of Scala, and more!

Dunhuang: Gateway of China
Steam Download | Manual GitHub Download | Immersion Pack Guide | Sources and Further Reading

Spoiler

For those in China, Dunhuang was the furthest edge of the civilized world; for outsiders coming from the West by land, it was the final major stop before they entered the Middle Kingdom. This gateway of the Silk Road stood proud for centuries, a trade entrepot and melting pot of Eurasia, as well as a religious center home to the great Buddha Grottoes of Mogao. In the early medieval period, under the leadership of first the Zhang and then the Cao families, Dunhuang enjoyed a degree of independence and power it would never see again… but maybe you can alter the course of history.

In this Immersion Pack, step back to the heyday of the Silk Road to take reins of China's great frontier city. Interact with the multicultural inhabitants of this region, and enshrine your name for posterity by contributing to the ever expanding network of caves in Mogao. Lead one of several elite Chinese families with noble lineages stretching back centuries, such as the Cao who claimed descent from Cao Cao of Three Kingdoms fame, or the Li who claimed descent from Laozi and a distant relation with the Tang Emperors. Whether as Chinese gentry, nomad Khans, or Tuyuhun tribal chieftains, there is adventure to be had in this frontier of East and West!


Features:

• Vastly expanded character and title history, including more playable historical Chinese families in Dunhuang who have unique story events and bloodlines, such as the Cao, who claim descent from Cao Cao of Three Kingdoms fame. The new playable families are added and selectable via event at game-start for maximum compatiblity.
• Patronize and cooperate with various local ethnic communities in multicultural Dunhuang
• Patronize a new Mogao Cave in Dunhuang for the glory of Buddhism or your family
• New cultures:
  • Xiongnu and Di for the history files
  • Tuyuhun for the remnants of the Tuyuhun Kingdom
  • Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mohe, Bai, and Yi, who may spawn via events
• Nadun Festival for Tuyuhun characters
• Nowruz Feast decision for Iranian or Mazdean characters and provinces
• Unique buildings for the Silk Road trade post in Dunhuang
• Several new narrative events about Asian history
• 30 generic flavor events about everyday life in Dunhuang
• Kingdom of Dunhuang formable via special decisions and events
• A whole slew of miscellaneous flavor such as: minor titles, new Chinese dynasty names, 15 Chinese themed music tracks, and more!

Pamir: Roof of the World
Steam Download | Manual GitHub Download | Immersion Pack Guide

Spoiler

The Pamir Mountains are a land of pristine blue skies, valleys of endless grass, and rugged, ancient mountains. At the crossroads of the Silk Road, this obscure region has been criss-crossed by travelers, pilgrims, nomads, and conquering armies. The withdrawal of Tang Chinese troops to the East, and the rise of Islam to the West, and Tibet’s tenuous hegemony over the Himalayas, is a recipe for great conflict and change in this region at the dawn of the medieval age.

In this Immersion Pack, travel to the snow-capped peaks and green valleys of the Pamir Plateau. Develop this most remote region with the help from its rugged clans. Invest in the famed lapis lazuli mines of Sar-i Sang or the gold mines of Gilgit, rebuild the ancient watchtowers of the Pamir Plateau, and celebrate the passing of the seasons with the Chinir Festival. Whether they are Pamiri, Kashmiri, Burusho, or others, choose your allies and foes carefully at this crossroads of the Silk Road as you establish your impenetrable fortress at the Roof of the World.

Features:

• Expanded character, dynasty, and province history changes done via hidden event for maximum compatibility:
  • Revised family tree for the Patola Shahi
  • New semi-historical playable characters at the early start dates, such as the Puteshan Kings of Badakhshan
  • New bloodline for the hero of local folklore, Azur Jamshid
• New cultures, including Pamiri, Kashmiri, and Burusho (the latter of whom don’t appear on the map at game start, but can spawn in the courts of rulers of the Pamirs)
• Chinir Festival and Nowruz feast decisions for Iranian characters
• Profit from the lapis lazuli mines of Sar-i Sang and the gold mines of Gilgit
• Maintain the network of watchposts in Wakhan and the Karakoram Mountains
• Over 30 generic flavor events for the Pamir region
• 6 new music tracks for the Middle East and Central Asia

 

[cybrxkhan]

UPDATE TO HARRANIAN IMMERSION PACK NOW AVAILABLE!
Steam Workshop Download | Github Manual Download​

Lots of new goodies. I especially had a lot of fun designing the CYOA event chain for Thabit ibn Qurra/his great-grandfather if you choose to play as them - I will probably feature something similar, albeit on a smaller scale, in future mods.

I will NOT be adding any more except to fix any bugs, as I'll move on to my next Immersion Packs. Main new features include:

• 3 new soundtracks
• Harranian bloodline
• Book artifacts made by your Harranian courtiers (so they’re not useless),
• Most importantly, the ability to play as Thabit ibn Qurra or his great-grandfather via start up events at the 867 and 769 start dates respectively IF you select to play as the Emir of Edessa. It includes an in-depth RPG-esque event chain to set up the Thabits’ starting condition.

And here's a more detailed changelog:

Spoiler

• Added three new Harranian-inspired soundtracks
• Added several relatives of Thabit ibn Qurra to the history files, including his son, the Physician Sinan; his grandson, the mathematician Ibrahim; many of his ancestors; and a few fictional relatives.
• Added a separate startup event if you choose to play as the Emir of Edessa in the 867 and 769 start dates that gives Thabit ibn Qurra or his great-grandfather (who coincidentally was also named Thabit) the county of Edessa and makes them vassals to the Emir of Edessa.**
• Added a random event where a Harranian courtier with sufficient learning or the scholar trait can make a scholarly treatise for you as a gift, on one of several topics. This can only occur once per lifetime of both ruler and courtier.
• Added a new bloodline, Harranian Blood, that Thabit ibn Qurra and Al-Battani’s families have. It increases piety, tech, and opinion from Hellenic pagans, Arabs, and those with the erudite, scholar, and mystic traits.
• Harranian courtiers now have a chance of spawning with a number of unique modifiers, for flavor: Former Moneylender, Prominent Harranian, Neoplatonic Fanatic, Ostracized Harranian, Devout Planet Worshipper, Tammuz Devotee
• Hidden startup event now moves the Hellenic holy site from Syracuse to Edessa. This will allow you to secretly convert even if the province is no longer Hellenic.
• Patronizing the Academy will improve the chances of spawning Harranian courtiers, and tweaked how patronizing the Academy will increase the chances of Harranian courtiers with better stats
• Harranian Courtiers will now also spawn for Levantine and Assyrian characters
• Harranian Courtiers have a much lower chance of spawning for Hellenic Pagans
• Added French localization, courtesy of loup99, Mochi, and Domper59 from the WTWSMS team.
• Changed birth and death dates of some of the historical characters (in particular, Thabit ibn Qurra is now younger at the 867 start)
• Reduced the chances the Harranian courtiers spawned at game start will be poets or physicians
• Fixed generated children of Harranian courtiers potentially not being the same dynasty as their father

And here are some screenshots:

Spoiler

Tomorrow I will add a spoiler-y brief guide to the CYOA at the beginning of the game if you choose to play as Thabit ibn Qurra or his great-grandfather.

Lastly, I'm almost done with the Peloponnesian Immersion Pack (and am in fact already starting writing/researching for the Immersion Pack after that), as I only need to code in a few more events and do some testing. If you're interested in testing it out for me, much of the code is already up on GitHub.

 

[cybrxkhan]

PELOPONNESIAN IMMERSION PACK IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Steam Workshop Download | Github Manual Download​

After a month or so of work, it's finally up! The Peloponnesian Immersion Pack focuses on the Peloponnese, and includes a lot of simple mechanics and flavor to make playing this part of the world more interesting.

Features include the following:

• New Tsakonian culture in the Byzantine culture group that can raid and are seafarers. The culture is added via a hidden event at game start for maximum compatibility.
• Local Slavs, Tsakonians, and Maniots may arrive at your court or be levied via decision to fight your wars.
• Maintain the Hexamilion wall to protect the peninsula from invaders.
• As a Hellenic pagan, promote ancient Dorian culture by restoring the sacred Corinthian fountains of Peirene or hosting the ancient Spartan festival of Hyacinthia.
• Take advantage of local industries, including Corinthian Silk, Kalamata Olives, and Tyrian Purple Dye - but be careful, as the collapse of the Roman Empire might signify a decline in these industries
• Several historical characters such as Danielis and Georgius Gemistus, aka Plethon, can appear randomly via event and have some special flavor associated with them.
• And other miscellany, such as 6 Greek-themed soundtracks, 15 generic flavor events, 2 book artifacts, and some new Greek dynasty names

There will likely be a second update to account for any bugs or issues, but I will likely not be adding in any more big features to this myself. The next immersion pack will be Cremona: Before Stradivarius. It will be much smaller in scope - only covering one province - but stay tuned for more info.

And here are some screenshots (please see the Steam workshop link for more):

Spoiler

no problem, you do a hard job bro i know you can fix it, a joan of arc-like event (lol, i only imagine what you are going to do ) yes plethon was a nickname and he was born in 1355, so i imagine is no other that plethon himself when he appears, you make a great pagan-middle ages game flavour and i know you have other plans as well for athens crete or something like that...but dont tire yourself, i know you had health problems a few years back (i hope you are well now) and i am glad you are back i was a fan of HIP myself and i know when your immersion packs are finally over and combine with CK2+ when it updated i will have a hell of a game to play i already like the Harranians (and you are the only reason i make a reaserch for them ) the last thing i want to ask it is if you have a plan to add peloponese mod in steam in your packs as well, i only see that in the forums here only by luck

Thank you! I'm glad to be meeting your expectations.

And yes right now with the Peloponnesian pack Plethon will appear randomly after 1300, though more likely in the late 1300s or 1400s (since the last game start date, 1337, is before his birth date of 1355). There is a high chance he'll eventually create a book artifact, Nomoi/Book of Laws.

 

[cybrxkhan]

AMALFI IMMERSION PACK IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Steam Workshop Download | Github Manual Download
Updates also available for the Harranian and Peloponnesian Immersion Packs!
Detailed guides to all the Immersion Packs are now also available on Google Docs as well, please see the second post!​

Apologies for all the big text spam, but I got a lot of new stuff out tonight after half a year of delays and being busy with irl priorities. Amalfi Immersion Pack: The Forgotten Republic focuses on the lone province of Amalfi and its Republic, and includes several new simple mechanics to add more flavor. Thanks in particular to @UrsusAtlanticus for providing information and suggestions.

Features include the following:

• Independent, playable Republic of Amalfi from 1066 to 1076
• Enact and reform the Amalfian Laws, one of the oldest maritime codes in the world
• Support, tolerate, or ban the usage of Bambagina paper on official documents
• As a patrician, choose to focus on different Amalfian industries (represented by modifiers) such as Amalfi’s famous lemon groves
• Restore and worship at the Temple of the Sirens in Sorrento/Surrentum as a pagan
• Establish the Amalfion, a monastery on Mount Athos famously housed by Latin priests
• Build a watchtower on the island of Gallo Lungo and appoint a Warden to protect Amalfi from pirates and invaders
• Unique provincial modifier to represent the vacation villas of the Amalfi Coast - even in ancient Roman times, it was a renowned resort region
• And other miscellany such as 4 Italian themed soundtracks, 28 new Italian dynasty names related to Amalfi, 24 flavor events about topics ranging from the Blue Grotto of Capri to the famous chestnuts of Scala, and more!

Please see the guide to the Amalfi Immersion Pack on Google Docs for more detailed information. I will probably have an update for Amalfi in the near future to take care of any bugs or tweaking, but I won't add in anymore crazy new things unless I really feel like it.

Spoiler: Amalfi Screenshots

Please see the Steam workshop page for more screenshots

As a bonus, I've also updated the Harranian and Peloponnesian Immersion Packs with some minor tweaks. The biggest new additions are game rules to disable the Temple of the Moon/Neoplatonic Academy, and the Peloponnesian industry modifiers, from disappearing as they would normally in game.

Spoiler: Game Rule Screenshot

Spoiler: Changelogs

HARRANIAN v3

• Added in game rule to prevent the removal of the Neoplatonic Academy modifier and the Temple to the Moon from being destroyed by AI
• Added basic compatibility for Ancient Religions Reborn
• Can no longer take the decision to destroy the Temple to the Moon if any of your lieges are pagan
• Reduced the chances the AI will immediately destroy the Temple to the Moon once they are able to - they’ll now generally avoid doing it before 1000 CE
• Fixed some bugs in the Harranian courtier events
• Some other minor bugfixes I probably forgot about

PELOPONNESIAN v2

• Added in a game rule to prevent the removal of the Peloponnesian industries modifiers via events
• Hexamilion Wall modifier now also gives +0.5 fort level and +20% morale recovery rate, and the garrison size bonus has been reduced to 50%
• Recently Rebuilt Hexamilion Wall modifier now only lasts 2 years, instead of 20 years
• Added basic compatibility with HIP SWMH and Ancient Religions Reborn
• Some minor bugfixes I probably forgot about

And lastly, as a preview, here is the screenshot I posted of my next Immersion Pack, Dunhuang: Gateway to the Silk Road (granted could change my mind again but who knows):

Spoiler

 

[cybrxkhan]

DUNHUANG IMMERSION PACK IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Steam Workshop Download | Github Manual Download
A Dunhuang Immersion Pack Guide is also available if you're interested in more detailed information, as well as a list of my research sources and further reading.​

Finally, after almost a year of work and delays, Dunhuang: Gateway of China is officially out! It adds in several new simple mechanics and flavor to Dunhuang and the surrounding region, as well as many new (mostly) historically accurate playable Chinese characters and families.

Features include the following:

• Vastly expanded character and title history, including more playable historical Chinese families in Dunhuang who have unique story events and bloodlines, such as the Cao, who claim descent from Cao Cao of Three Kingdoms fame. The new playable families are added and selectable via event at game-start for maximum compatiblity.
• Patronize and cooperate with various local ethnic communities in multicultural Dunhuang
• Patronize a new Mogao Cave in Dunhuang for the glory of Buddhism or your family
• New cultures:
  • Xiongnu and Di for the history files
  • Tuyuhun for the remnants of the Tuyuhun Kingdom
  • Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mohe, Bai, and Yi, who may spawn via events
• Nadun Festival for Tuyuhun characters
• Nowruz Feast decision for Iranian or Mazdean characters and provinces
• Unique buildings for the Silk Road trade post in Dunhuang
• Several new narrative events about Asian history
• 30 generic flavor events about everyday life in Dunhuang
• Kingdom of Dunhuang formable via special decisions and events
• A whole slew of miscellaneous flavor such as: minor titles, new Chinese dynasty names, 15 Chinese themed music tracks, and more!

For those who took a look at the beta, the biggest change is probably the addition of several new historical and semi-historical characters, alongside various miscellaneous tweaks and bugfixes.

Spoiler: Dunhuang Screenshots

Please see the Steam workshop page for more screenshots.

Spoiler: Sources and Further Reading

The below is NOT a comprehensive list of all the sources I've used, but should cover a significant amount of the reading I did for this Immersion Pack. I also used Wikipedia (including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese language Wikipedia) where needed, though I did so with discretion and caution.

Of all the sources, the one I recommend the most would be Susan Whitfield's Life ALong the SIlk Road. It is a fairly accessible and entertaining text for laymen and specialists alike, and takes a more "first person" POV of life along the Silk Road, including one chapter dedicated to the Dunhuang official Zhai Fengda, who is playable at the 936 CE startdate in this mod.

SCHOLARLY ARTICLES

• An Introduction to the Material Culture of Dunhuang Buddhism: Putting the Object in Its Place, Sarah E. Fraser
• Composite Manuscripts in Medieval China: The Case of Scroll P.3720 from Dunhuang, Imre Galambos
• Studies in Chinese Manuscripts: From the Warring States Period to the 20th Century, Imre Galambos
• Buddhist Litigants in Public Court: A Case Study of Legal Practices in Tibetan-ruled Dunhuang (786–848), Cuilan Liu
• Merit-Making or Financial Fraud? Litigating Buddhist Nuns in Early 10th Century Dunhuang, Cuilan Liu
• The Order of the Birds in Guiyi Dunhuang, Lewis Mayo
• Guiyijun and Buddhism at Dunhuang: A Year by Year Chronicle, Henrik H. Sørensen
• Perspectives on Buddhism in Dunhuang During the Tang and Five Dynasties Period, Henrik H. Sørensen
• Dialogue Among the Civilizations: the Origin of the Three Guardian Deities’ Images in Cave 285, Mogao Grottoes, Yuanlin Zhang

SCHOLARLY BOOKS

• Dunhuang Art: Through the Eyes of Duan Wenjie, Wenjie Duan (Alternate Site)
• The Dunhuang Grottoes and Global Education: Philosophical, Spiritual, Scientific, and Aesthetic Insights, Xu Di
• Surviving Nirvana: Death of the Buddha in Chinese Visual Culture, Sonya S. Lee
• Art, Religion, and Politics in Medieval China: The Dunhuang Cave of the Zhai Family, Qiang Ning
• Eighteen Lectures on Dunhuang, Xinjiang Rong
• Life Along the Silk Road, Second Edition, Susan Whitfield (Link to Amazon Purchase)

ONLINE WEBSITES/ARTICLES

• Dunhuang Studies: Chronology and History
• Dunhuang Timeline
• Notes on the History of Dunhuang

Spoiler: Interesting Playable/Unplayable Characters

Below is a run-down of the situation and interesting characters at each of the three early starting dates, to give an idea of what playthroughs might be possible:

769 CE

The Tibetans are advancing northwards into the Gansu region, but Tang authority hasn’t entirely eroded yet.

• Zhang Qianyi: A powerful Chinese official under the Tibetans, he serves them loyally - for now. In the future, once the right opportunity arises, he or his descendants might seek to restore Chinese rule to Dunhuang.
• Cao Shiyuan: The ruler of Yumen, under Zhang Qianyi. The Cao, despite their ambitions, understand that if Dunhuang is to be a powerful, independent state, they must focus on the Tibetans first. Thus, they serve the Zhang family capably for now.
• Li Dabin: The ruler of Anxi, who hails from the most ancient house of Li that gave rise to Laozi, Li Guang, and the Tang Emperors. With his friend and fellow official and father-in-law, Yin Tingjie, will he be able to ensure that the Dunhuang region remains free from Tibetan rule?

Other Interesting Characters

• An Yinfang: The wife of Zhang Qianyi, she hails from the An family of Dunhuang, who were heavily Sinicized Sogdians that intermarried with local Chinese elites. Her distant relative is Li Baoyu, born An Chongzhang, a loyal and talented Tang Dynasty general who fought against the An Lushan rebellion and later changed his name out of shame of coincidentally sharing the same last name as An Lushan.
• Fan Guozhong: A Dunhuang native who would lead one of the first major insurrections against Tibetan rule and be killed sometime in the early 9th century. He starts as a capable general, the Mayor of Shouchang under Zhang Qianyi.
• Li Lingwu: The older brother of Li Dabin and a renowned monk in Dunhuang. He starts as the Bhikkhu of the temple holding of Mogao under the Western Protectorate.
• Suo Tao: The ruler of the city Dunhuang proper, and a man proud of his family’s scholarly roots, who looks upon the Tibetan incursions with great disapproval.
• Yin Tingjie: Li Dabin’s friend and father-in-law, the Mayor of Guazhou.

867 CE

It’s been almost three decades since Zhang Yichao led a successful rebellion against the Tibetans, but as he grows older, he is increasingly unable to maintain the tense peace between the various scheming clans of Dunhuang.

• Zhang Yichao: The man himself who liberated Dunhuang from Tibetan rule, Zhang Yichao is now old and the rising tensions and ambitions between the clans of Dunhuang. For now, there is peace, thanks to marriage alliances with all of the major clans, and Zhang Yichao’s capable leadership, but as soon as Zhang Yichao dies, all hell might break loose.
• Cao Wancheng: One of Zhang Yichao’s top officials, he is the most powerful vassal of the realm, ruling Jiuquan. The Cao are ambitious like their supposed ancestor Cao Cao. His son, Cao Yijin, is but a toddler, but there are astrologers who say great things lie ahead for this bright child.
• Li Mingzhen: An old ally of Zhang Yichao, he was one of his officers during the liberation of Dunhuang and rules Yangguan. However, he and his sons, who hail from an old family claiming distant relations to the Tang Emperors, feel they are the rightful leaders of Dunhuang.
• Suo Xun: His family are another old clan of Dunhuang, having been around since the Han Dynasty. They are proud scholars, and seek to make Dunhuang a bastion of civilization - Suo Xun, who rules Anxi, is ambitious, and may be the first to attempt overthrowing the Zhang once Zhang Yichao dies.
• Yin Wentong: One of Zhang Yichao’s more loyal officials, he was a major aide of Zhang Yichao during the campaign against the Tibetans. He rules Yumen, and is the weakest of the major vassals.

Other Interesting Minor Characters

• Kang Tongxin: A Dunhuang official who hails from a Sinicized family of Sogdians that has intermarried with the Chinese clans.
• Wuzhen: A celebrated monk in Dunhuang who led a major embassy to the Tang court in Dunhuang on behalf of the Zhang regime. He is the Bhikkhu of the temple holding of Mogao at the game start. An erudite and learned man, he can easily serve Zhang Yichao as a chancellor/diplomat or court chaplain.
• Zhai Farong: A powerful official in Dunhuang, and grandfather of the future celebrated scholar and calendarist Zhai Fengda, he is Baron of the castle of Fulu under Cao Wancheng.
• Zhang Qiu: A famous literati and author in Dunhuang, not related to the ruling family, who is the Mayor of Suzhou under Cao Wancheng at game start. A skilled writer and author, he has a number of connections and is friends with Zhang Huaishen, Zhang Yichao’s nephew.
• Zhu Zaiqing: An important leader in the Buddhist lay community, he is the Mayor of Yueyaquan, under Zhang Yichao at the game start.

936 CE

After Zhang Yichao’s death, there was some chaos and a revolving door of usurpers and intrigue, but after years of turmoil Guiyi Circuit is firmly under the rule of the Cao clan.

• Cao Yuande: Without a strong leader like Zhang Yichao or Cao Yijin, this son of Cao Yijin has big shoes to fill - the threat of Uighurs to both east and west, as well as the nomads to the north. With China still in chaos, it is his duty to uphold Chinese civilization in this frontier of the west.
• Zhai Fengda: Though the Zhai are an old clan in the Dunhuang region, they’ve only recently gained increased influence. Zhai Fengda, who rules Yangguan, has gained acclaim and renown as an intelligent official and scholar, and perhaps he can use this to further the clan’s agenda in Dunhuang, or to improve the region’s culture or infrastructure.
• Li Ling: This once great clan are shadow of their former selves. Despite usurping leadership of the Guiyi Circuit for a while, they were spared - which is fortunate. Guiyi is in an even weaker, though stabler position than under Zhang Yichao’s rule. Will Li Ling seek to accomplish what Li Mingzhen and his sons could not, or will he not risk Dunhuang’s stability and instead work to serve the Cao regime loyally?

Other Interesting Minor Characters

• Shanyou: A monk-official under the Cao regime, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Turfan in 935 CE. He starts as a Bhikkhu of the temple holding of Mogao at game start and would make a good Chancellor or Court Chaplain.
• Suo Ziqian: Despite being the first to usurp the heirs of Zhang Yichao, the Suo clan survived. Their current leader, Suo Ziqian, is the Baron of Yumenquan under Cao Yuande. He would later lead an important delegation to the Kingdom of Khotan in 956 CE, and would make a good Chancellor.
• Zhang Huaiqing: He is the leader of the remnants of the Zhang clan, son of the last Zhang ruler of Dunhuang, Zhang Chengfeng. Currently, he is an official, the mayor of Dunhuang under Cao Yuande. He has a weak claim on the Duchy of Guiyi, so might be a problem in the future, though he doesn’t seem particularly interested in seizing his rightful inheritance.
• Zhang Yingrun: Another surviving member of the Zhang family. He is a devout member of the local Buddhist community, famous for sponsoring a number of religious constructions and work on scripture.

Lastly, no promises on what I'll work on next. I really want to get one small Immersion Pack as a last huzzah for my CK2 modding career before I shift gears to CK3 modding. I do have a few ideas I'm debating between, so hopefully I'll show a preview once I get some work done.

hahaha yeah you remember...add at least one more to be like the hunting for the persian ones xD I Found the 2...(one from the li and one from the emperors, i thought they were different but anyway.) i never found the suo clan, so i need at least a name for the 769 start and i still waiting for the blood of Plethon gemistos in peloponisian pack...although i will wait...i know modding is hard (i tried a lot to fix my character in to the game and i dont know how to add bloodline)

edit: i found it

also you can make the seven bloods with the others be like suo clan blood....no op no problem....although i make a suggestion....i will not tell you how to do your job

I think I decided to scale back on the bloodlines for balance reasons, it wouldn't make sense to have every major family get one because it would kind of dillute the uniqueness of them. That said, in the code, I did leave the bloodline for the Yin family, though it's commented out.

 

[cybrxkhan]

PAMIR IMMERSION PACK IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Steam Workshop Download | Github Manual Download
A Pamir Immersion Pack Guide is also available if you're interested in more detailed information.​

Pamir: Roof of the World has just been released. It includes several new simple mechanics, flavor, and history tweaks to the Pamir Mountain region, which is located at the crossroads of the Silk Road in modern-day eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and parts of Tajikistan. As mentioned before, I almost didn't do this but had a flash of inspiration a few weeks ago, and I was able to complete this just in time for CK3.

Features include the following:

• Expanded character, dynasty, and province history changes done via hidden event for maximum compatibility:
  • Revised family tree for the Patola Shahi
  • New semi-historical playable characters at the early start dates, such as the Puteshan Kings of Badakhshan
  • New bloodline for the hero of local folklore, Azur Jamshid
• New cultures, including Pamiri, Kashmiri, and Burusho (the latter of whom don’t appear on the map at game start, but can spawn in the courts of rulers of the Pamirs)
• Chinir Festival and Nowruz feast decisions for Iranian characters
• Profit from the lapis lazuli mines of Sar-i Sang and the gold mines of Gilgit
• Maintain the network of watchposts in Wakhan and the Karakoram Mountains
• Over 30 generic flavor events for the Pamir region
• 6 new music tracks for the Middle East and Central Asia

Please see the Steam workshop page for more screenshots.

This will be my last mod release for CK2 before I switch to CK3 (though I will release one last update to VIET next weekend), ending a 8 year period of my life. It all started - almost exactly 8 years ago, in fact - when I uploaded a mini-mod that tweaked trait stats on August 19, 2012; somehow I feel it fits my style to end with the Pamir Mountains, an obscure setting not too many people will care about, but one important to history and full of wonders nevertheless.

For those who are interested, my plans for CK3 will be to work on two mods. The VIET Events equivalent will be called Events About Simple Things (EAST), while the Immersion Pack equivalent will be tentatively called Assortment of Socio-Cultural Immersive Additions (ASIA) (because I love dumb puns). Unlike with these Immersion Packs, the CK3 equivalent will be kept together in one main mod (to make updating easier), but I will still try to keep the very focused, region to region approach I've done with my Immersion Packs. At the moment, I intend to work no two regions/Immersion Pack equivalents for the first release of the CK3, the island of Chios and another as of yet undetermined region or culture to showcase the mod's vision of focusing on random places all over the world. My hope is that I'll be able to work on and release these two mods within a month of CK3's release.

Anyways, again, thank you all for your support and encouragement all these years - I look forward to my final update to VIET next weekend, and then CK3 afterwards.