CK2: Middle Earth Project 0.2.1b Release news

This is our biggest update yet including two new bookmarks; 'The Fall of Arnor' and 'The Kin-Strife'! In addition to these new bookmarks we have added many new features including totally reworked gameplay for Orcs, race-specific combat and civil traits and a Gondorian coronation naming system. There are also much requested unique buildings across Middle-Earth, such as The Prancing Pony Inn and Tomb of Elendil, as well as event chains for the reconstruction of Fornost Erain, Annúminas and the famed Bridge of Tharbad. We have also added a large number of flavour events, added/reworked many traits (thanks to AnaxXiphos for work on icons) and overhauled the map's appearance. Full changelog can be found in the download.

This bookmark takes place roughly 1700 years before the events of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It is a turbulent time for the successor kingdoms of Arnor, and the last light of the Dúnedain seems near to being extinguished. The three kingdoms of Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur, split from Arnor upon the death Eärendur have had a relatively peaceful period, but this is set to change with the rise of the Witch-King of Angmar in the north. His strength is growing and soon he will be ready to strike at Rhudaur, the weakest of the three kingdoms and, if successful, begin to bring the age of the Dúnedain to a close.

Not only Eriador has changed, there are interesting starts for all the well known kingdoms.
Rhonavion maintains her hold over the eastern plains, but such a large kingdom could easily be torn apart by civil war or an invasion.
The dwarves of Durin's Folk still hold the rich mithril filled halls of Khazad-Dûm and the Grey Mountains, but other dwarven tribes hold the Ered Luin. The Iron Hills and Erebor sit unoccupied. Can the dwarves be unified under one king?
Gondor remains strong in this period, holding many of the lands it had lost by the time of the War of the Ring, including Rohan, Umbar and Harondor. However, despite being perhaps the most powerful kingdom of men in Middle-Earth, and still ruled by a pure blooded King, Gondor has it's own troubles.
The Southron tribes are fragmented and fight petty wars for empty stretches of arid desert. Perhaps a strong ruler could unify them, and lead the full might of Harad against the southern holdings of Gondor, the Variags or Nurn.

The peaceful kingdom of Gondor is approaching a perilous time in it's history. Valacar, son of Romendacil II of Gondor, married a non-numenorean wife. Even if she is the daughter of the mighty King of Rhovanion, Vidugavia, most of the lords of Gondor think that her son, Eldacar, is not a true numenorean, and so cannot be king.
You have two interesting choices: Play as Valacar of Gondor and prepare to resist your rebellious vassals, or play as Castamir 'the Usurper', a member of the King's family, and leader of the rebels.
In Eriador, both Rhudaur and Cardolan have been defeated by Angmar, and Arthedain seems the only realm that can stop a full invasion of Eriador. Will you play as the Witch-King, and complete the conquest of the North? Or will you play as Araphor of Arthedain, and try to save the last remains of the Kingdom of Arnor from darkness?

This bookmark is not finished and some lands are missing characters, but the main story of this period works.

There is not much else to say, and you will find out more by playing it yourself!

If you would like to help with the development of this mod please inbox me or Lonhaldor either here or on the Paradox Interactive forums.