Middle-Earth Project for CKII - A First Look to the Next Update news

Hello everybody! We're working since some weeks now on the next update, with a lot of fixes, but also new things on the mod. Here's a first look of what you'll see in the 0.2.1b version of the Middle-Earth Project for Crusader Kings II !

First, the new bookmark, the Fall of Arnor. Around 1700 years before the events of the War of the Ring, Middle-Earth was ... different. The dunedain were the true rulers of the lands of West, with Gondor at South (including the lands of Ithilien, Harondor and Calenardhon), and Arnor at North. If Gondor was ruled by the heirs of Anarion, Arnor was ruled directly by the heirs of Isildur.

Since 861 T.A. and the death of Eärendur of Arnor, the kingdom was split in three kingdoms : Arthedain the strongest, Cardolan at South, and Rhudaur the weakiest. And, in 1307 A, date of the beginning of this scenario, these three kingdoms are still there... But a threat grows at North : Angmar.
That's basically the story of this scenario. Here's a look of the northern part of the map :

The Witch-King will, at the beginning of the scenario, have the choice to order one of the hillmen of Rhudaur to take control of this kingdom, and this is how everything will happen. After the beginning of the event chains, if you play as Forodacil of Rhudaur, you'll have a lot of things to do to try to eliminate the threath. Will you save your kingdom?

If Rhudaur falls, Cardolan and Arthedain will be threaten too, but if Argeleb I is king of Arthedain, you'll be able to claim the crown of Arnor, and try to reunificate the two kingdoms. With all these forces, you'll be able to resist easily to the Witch-King. But he's not a stupid guy, and could try to conquer Rivendell, to defeat your allies, or to expand in Anduin Vale at east, instead of attacking you directly.

North of the map is, basically, a dangerous area, with a lot of wars ahead. East and South are more... easy, but interesting too !
In Harad, the tribes aren't under the rule of an High Chief, and you should try to reunificate them to attack the lands of Gondor, while Bellakar could try to attack Gondor to claim the leadership on Umbar.

In Rhovanion, the heir of Vidugavia rules most of the lands, but a so huge kingdom could be broken easily by civil wars or an invasion. Dwarves of Durin's Folk are established in Khazad-Dûm, and some of them are ruling the Grey Mountains. Ered Luin are occupied by other tribes of dwarves at this time. Will you try to unificate the dwarves? Or to conquer Erebor and the Iron Hills?

In Gondor, if you're in the most powerful kingdom of all, with a True King, the things could gone bad quickly. The son of Romendacil II, Valacar, married the daughter of the King Vidugavia, a non-numenorean spouse ! So, Vinitharya (Eldacar as king), his son, and heir of Gondor after him, will certainly have to face a revolt from his own kin. The Kin-Strife is near!

So, there's basically some informations about how the map will be during this scenario, and what you'll be able to do. The next update is not only about a new scenario, but a lot of new stuff, like new events or new mechanics for some races, will be there too. But it'll be for a next diary ;)

We're searching again some helps to work on the mod. if you're an experimented scripter or graphist in CKII engine, just contact us !

Read all our dev diaries here :

Les Journaux de Développement en Français sont disponibles ici :

No release date for now, we're working again on it, and another diary will certainly come before the release of this update. Could be in one week or in three!