About the Project
Elder Kings II is a fan-based, non-profit community project by the Elder Kings Development Team. We aim to bring the world of Elder Scrolls -- Tamriel and eventually all of Nirn -- to the Grand Strategy Game Crusader Kings III by Paradox Interactive.
The mod is set within the Elder Scrolls universe created by Bethesda Softworks and has been in active development since September 2020, the same year Crusader Kings 3 was released. Elder Kings 2 features an entirely new world map covering the landmasses of Tamriel and Yokuda based on both official lore sources and many high quality fan sources.
The aim of the mod is to deliver a great strategy experience to CK3 players set in the world of The Elder Scrolls. Choose any tribal or feudal ruler in the year 2E 440 or 2E 450 and guide your dynasty through the turmoil of the Interregnum.
The mod is and will always be completely free for Crusader Kings III players. Donations toward the project have never been solicited nor accepted and never will be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Elder Kings II (or EK2) is a free, fan-made modification for the medieval grand strategy game Crusader Kings III. It transfers its setting from historic Eurasia to Nirn, the world of the Elder Scrolls.
What are the requirements to run Elder Kings II?
You only need Crusader Kings III, and the Minimum System Requirements for that game.
Are any DLC required to play the mod?
No DLC required. You will however get additional features with DLC enabled, such as the White Gold Tower Throneroom with Royal Court. Check the DLC icons in the Main Menu to see how EK2 uses or expands on DLC.
Can EK2 be played in multiplayer?
We've done some testing and it indeed runs in MP. However desync issues may sometimes be encountered.
Are you importing any assets from the TES games?
No. Every asset that goes into the mod was made by the Team or external contributors. We will never use any official assets by BGS or ZOS from any of the TES games.
Where can I volunteer to help?
Come on over to our Discord Server and tell us what you'd like to contribute to the Mod!
How can I support you with donations?
Donations toward the project have never been solicited nor accepted and never will be.
When will the mod be released?
A beta version of the mod has been released on 11/11/2022 to both the Steam Workshop and Nexus Mods. It is continuously updated and will reach a full 1.0 release when we feel Tamriel is 'feature complete'.
Will Elder Kings II support other languages?
EK2 is currently only available in English. Official translations will be considered after 1.0.
You may start in 2E 440 or 450, during the Second Eras so-called Interregnum, and play until 2E 896. The mod starts roughly 1000 years before the events of TESV: Skyrim; and roughly 140 years before the events of ESO.
Are more start dates planned?
Yes. However we will only move within our scope of 2E 440 to 2E 896. Any dates outside of that, like the Oblivion Crisis of 3E 433 or the Dragon Crisis of 4E 201, are not planned. To experience those, it's best to get TESIV: Oblivion or TESV: Skyrim. Anyone is welcome to make a submod for these however!
Will missing features from EK1 be brought back?
Yesn't. We consider EK2 more of a sequel than a port. Most content is newly made, not copied over. However some mechanics of EK1 will make a return in later updates, such as Daedric Interactions.
All 10 playable races from the TES games -- plus many more unplayable races such as Ayleids, Lilmothiit, Goblins, Tsaesci, Dremora, various Nede (Reachfolk, Kothringi, Yespest, ...) and even Imga!
Falmer and Dwemer can be selected from the ruler designer, but are not encountered in normal gameplay.
Will there be dragons?
Dragons are quite rare during the Second Era, mostly believed to have died out. There's a rare chance you might encounter a hiding dragon, but there are no major features related to dragons.
So no Dragonborn either?
The Second Era in Tamriel is defined by the absence of a Dragonborn ruler on the Ruby Throne of Cyrodiil. For the time being, that means no Dragonborns in EK2.
Are you cooperating with or using any content & lore from any other major fan project such as Tamriel Rebuilt/Project Tamriel/Beyond Skyrim...?
We take inspiration from other fan projects, however, in very limited capacity. This is still our interpretation of Tamriel, our very own fan project. We have cooperated with Tamriel Rebuilt in a minor capacity when it comes to our version of Morrowind. And some EK2 Team Members are or were members of the mentioned fan projects too.
Our History
The original idea of an Elder Scrolls mod for Crusader Kings II came to be in a Paradox Forum thread, shortly after the release of both The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim in 2011. Around May 2012 the name 'Elder Kings' was first mentioned by Amauri / WildPeacock, a name that should stick until today. In August of the same year, the first pre-alpha of Elder Kings I was released by Ratel. Over the years, many new developers joined the team, while others retired, turning it into a multi-generation modding team.
When Crusader Kings III was announced in October of 2019, the Team instantly started theorising on how to bring Elder Kings to the new game. Without access to the game however, actual pre-production only started around July 2020 when TheynT began working on a new map outline and the team set up a joint Design Document.
Just 4 days before the game released, Elder Kings II was properly announced. With the release of CK3, development could finally begin and as a result the Team grew rapidly over the following months.
The development of Elder Kings II largely shifted to a new generation of the Team, with the increased influx of developers resulting in a refactoring of an otherwise relatively flat and loose structure. With veterans LeSingeAffame & TheynT assuming project leading roles, later joined by newcomer and 3D Artist AJ, the mod was finally released as a Beta on November 11th 2022.
Since then, Elder Kings II has received 5 major & several minor content updates and is still in active development. Meanwhile it reached over 350.000 players worldwide.
Disclaimer
The Elder Kings II Team is neither directly nor indirectly related to Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax Online Studios, nor its parent company ZeniMax Media Inc., in any way, shape, or form, neither does the Elder Kings II Team claim any representative rights to such. The Elder Kings II Team is an entirely non-profit initiative and currently maintains no monetary value. Its purpose is to celebrate The Elder Scrolls lore in an alternative medium and is not intended to infringe upon the copyrights of Bethesda Softworks, nor their parent and affiliate companies. The same disclaimers apply in relation to Paradox Interactive AB, and its subsidiaries or affiliates.
This is a non-profit fan project, by the community for the community. Donations toward the project have never been solicited nor accepted and never will be. All assets are either vanilla CK3, created by the mod team or external contributors. No BGS or ZOS assets are included in this mod. This project merely wishes to celebrate The Elder Scrolls.