Middle-earth Lore - Status: closed - partially included in TATW 3.1

[Aikanár]

First Note:

Since this is my first approach in modding whatsoever please feel free to comment, suggest or argue about everything you like. Feedback of any kind is appreciated! I've to thank King Kong and all the members of Third Age: Total War team for making such a great mod, which delights me in every hour I play it! Also I've to thank alpaca for his great tutorials! Last but not least I've more to do then just say thank you to Point Blank for including my little work since the 5th of July release of RC+RR! And finally a big thanks goes out to all of you who enjoyed my work. Without you, the fans, this would never be possible nor would it be included in TATW. Thanks to you all!

What this submod is about:

In general, this is all about immersion of gameplay and the lore by JRRT. I started this submod intending to improve the feeling of lore and elven lore in particular in TA:TW. At the beginning I was not concerned with other factions whatsoever. But during the development I changed my mind several times. After some months of being absent from TWC due to real life, I'm now back again and continue to work on this mod again. Besides the original intention of this submod, which was to adopt a Trait- and Ancillary-system (TAS) for the elven factions and after them for all factions in TA:TW, I'll introduce a concept of storytelling based upon the decisions the player might choose during his campaign in the next release. Till version 1.0 I'll focus on the elven faction and the dwarves. In general my submod aims on people who want to play TA:TW more according to the lore of the mythology created by JRRT (sure thing, my point of view of the mythology). Hence this will take time, a lot of time, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.

Compatibility:

To make a long story short, this submod is designed to be used with RC+RR by Point Blank, but it's also compatible with TA:TW 1.4.1 vanilla and of course Louis Lux' Visual Enhancement.

Immersion:

The first setp was to implement a trait- and ancillarie-system. The TAS of every faction is based upon diversification. Each faction gets several Basic Traits (BT) assigned. On these BTs the further diversification, consisting in a system of noble House Traits (HT), is build. Further Ancillaries and Traits are based upon these noble Houses. The complete system aims on inheritance, sometimes agnatic, sometimes cognatic. Now I'm currently working on implementing even more immersion via picking up some ideas of SignifierOne elaborating and expanding them and collaborating with Jean=A=Luc as well as Louis Lux. Scripts, events, buildings, guilds, ancillaries and traits will play the major roles in further releases.

Schedule:

- Elven Division v2.0 - WIP - Dwarven Division v2.0 - WIP - Dúnadain Division (Gondor and Eriador) - under construction / delayed - Northern Men Division (Dale and Rohan) - delayed - Rhûn Division - delayed - Harad Division - delayed - Orc Division (Mordor, Isengard and OotMM) - under construction / delayed - Elven Division v1.6 - 100% done - Dwarven Division v1.1 - 100% done

Elven division v1.6:

TAS: Traits: Noldor - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat Sindar - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat Lindar - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat Nandor - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a generalgeneral, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Elrond - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of the Golden Flower - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Finarfin - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Fingolfin - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Fëanor - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Amdír - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Círdan - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Elwë - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Oropher - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Denethor - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat House of Lenwë - done // different effects depending on whether the character is a general, princess, spy, admiral or diplomat Ancillaries: Lord of the House of the Golden Flower - done Lord of the House of Elwë - done maternal relative of Fëanor - done maternal relative of Finarfin - done maternal relative of Fingolfin - done maternal relative of Amdír - done maternal relative of Círdan - done maternal relative of Denethor - done maternal relative of Lenwë - done Reincarnate - done Lived for Ages - done Asfaloth - done Greenwood the Great - done Lindon - done High King of the Noldor - done King of the Woodland Realm - done Events: Midsummer - done Midwinter - done Nessa's dance - done Song contest - done Dance contest - done Lindon - done Greenwood the Great - to be balanced / content to be extended Historians workshop - done Historians and Generals - done Historians and Architects - done Historians of Middle-earth - done Historians and Singers - done Smith Exhibition - done Smiths at war - done Smith Convention - done Noldor and Dwarves - done High-smith Contest - done Guilds & Buildings: Gwaith-i-Mírdain - done Gwaith-i-Erynthin - done Gwaith-i-Lúmenquentalë - done Gwaith-i-Glinadir'a'mereth - done Ent house - done Units In the year of 1697 of the Second Age forces of Sauron the Deceiver swept through Eregion laying waste to Ost-in-Edhil and its community of the elves' greatest smiths and craftsmen who labored there under Celebrimbor ever striving to perfect their craft. Even though Sauron was eventually driven from the region Eregion lay abandoned and ruined for thousands of years well into the Third Age. But now that the War of the Ring has set the elves on the warpath once again, they have decided to reestablish their community in Eregion and set alight its forges once again. Where the Gwaith-i-Mirdain of old were primarily focused on jewels and crafts designed to bring the beauty of Valinor to Middle-earth this new generation of Eregion Smiths have turned their talents to the production of finest weapons and armour meant to hasten the Dark Lord's demise. Many of the remaining elven-smiths and apprentices have flocked to Eregion looking to restore Ost-in-Edhil and its workshops to some of their former glory and their determination can be seen not only in their fervent willingness to bring back the ringing of anvils and tools to these overgrown ruins but also in their readiness to take up the arms that they have created and take them to the enemy to be tested in the fires of battle. The warrior-smiths of Eregion are armed and armoured with their own work and are more than proficient in its use. Heavy mail of supreme quality covers them from head to toe and their chosen tool of war, the hammer, delivers brute grace to the enemy bones. Of all their beloved crafts there is no work these smiths would rather accomplish than to forge a victory over Sauron and his minions. Cinematic shot - unedited Credits: Shredder, Razor, bilwit Unit concept and development: Louis Lux, Jean=A=Luc, koultouras, bilwit, Aikanár

Dwarven division v1.1:

TAS: Traits: Longbeard Clan - done Firebeard Clan - done Broadbeam Clan - done Ironfist Clan - done Stiffbeard Clan - done Blacklock Clan - done Stonefoot Clan - done House of Durin - done House of Azaghâl - done House of Telchar - done Burned Dwarf - done Ancillaries: King under the Mountain - done Lord of the House of Azaghâl - done Lord of the House of Telchar - done Durin's Bane - done Durin's Realm - done Events: Durins Realm - to be balanced / content to be extended

Orc division v0.1:

TAS: Traits: Snaga - to be balanced / content to be extended Uruk - to be balanced / content to be extended Boldog - to be balanced / content to be extended Half-Man - to be balanced / content to be extended Half-Orc - to be balanced / content to be extended

Middle-earth Lore v0.5 changelist:

fixed the problem that events did not fire correctly after turn 20 fixed the Gwaith-i-Mírdain being available in other regions than Eregion fixed 2 event pictures fixed some typos fixed the problem with the missing texture for the Elven Smith unit when upgraded fixed the ring ancillaries and their triggers according to the discovery of TNZ added the event pictures for the dance- and forest guild events Elven racial and house traits extended to admirals, diplomats and spies added five events for the dance guild

Changes of former releases:

Glorfindel and Haldir are now part of the family tree - not according to Lore, but for making their Houses easier to be inherited BT-system for High Elves and Silvan Elves completed. HT-system for High Elves and Silvan Elves basically completed, but has huge lacks of content (to be done). Adoption: missing BT fixed Adoption Men of the Hour: missing BT fixed Marriage of starting princesses: missing BT fixed missspelling fixed - thanks to Leonidas480bc propper BT effects propper HT effects added missing HT descriptions coming of age system finished coming of age system implemented for HE and SE adoption system finished adoption system implemented for HE and SE lesser adoption system finished lesser adoption system implemented for HE and SE marriage system finished marriage system implemented for HE and SE misspellings fixed - thanks to Nocifer added HTAs High King of the Noldor, King of the Woodland Realm and Lord Celeborn added HTAs maternal relatives Fëanor, Finarfin, Fingolfin, Amroth, Círdan, Denethor and Lenwë misspelling fixed - thanks to Nocifer changed some House names according to Lore changed some HTAs according to Lore added descriptions for HTs of Fëanor, Finarfin, Fingolfin, Amdír (former Amroth), Elwë (former Celeborn) and Círdan added descriptions for HTs Denethor, Oropher and Lenwë revised all BT and HT descriptions expanded the TAS to playable princesses changed the family-trees of HE and SE factions: removed Celeborn, Haldir and Glorfindel from the family-trees revised the ages of the characters as follows: princesses age 15, characters born before or in the First Age: age 50, characters born in the Second Age: age 40, characters born in the Thrid Age: age 20 to 25, character is a reincarnate: age 30 added UT Lived for Ages to Elrond and Celeborn added UT Lived for Ages added UAs Liberator of Ost-in-Edhil and Liberator of Eryn Vorn fixed Triggers and Script added UAs Liberator of Eryn Dolen, Dol Guldur, Emyn-nu-Fûin and Ost-in-Gil added UAs Greenwood the Great and Restored Lindon fixed some misspellings misspellings fixed inner Division balancing done TAS for Dwarves implemented BT-system for Dwarves completed and implemented HT-system for Dwarves implemented, to be extended some changes in the desc_strat for Dwarves concerning Traits and starting age disabled vanilla ancillaries: leader_dwarf, king_silvan edited vanilla ancillary king_mountain, added an extended description and a custom picture revised the descriptions of: Longbeard Clan, Firebeard Clan, Broadbeam Clan, Ironfist Clan, Stiffbeard Clan, Blacklock Clan, Ironfoot Clan, House of Durin, House of Azaghâl, House of Telchar, Lord of the House of Azaghâl, Lord of the House of Telchar, Burned Dwarf, Liberator of Moria, Liberator of Mount Gundabad, Durin's Realm, Durin's Bane added custom pictures to ancillaries: Lords, Liberators, Durin's Bane, Durin's Realm fixed misspelling slight changes in desc_strat.txt extensive fixing of misspelling - thanks to mambea slight changes in the descr_strat three portraits added for playable princesses princesses no longer gain the EducatedWoman aka Nazgul Trait some Ancillariy-Pictures reworked by myself and two by Louis Lux +rep him Orc HTs added misspelling fixed removed none fitting M2:TW Ancillaries (gunpowder &c. pp.) adopted to TA:TW 1.4 vanilla reworked most of the ancillarie pictures removed all duplicated portraits added some new portraits, thanks to Basileutatos and Louis Lux! +rep them removed all liberator ancillaries reworked the whole campaign_script section included the desc_strat.txt changes of gigantus +rep him included the campaign_script.txt changes to RC+RR by Germanicu5 +rep him fixed minor misspelling added events Lindon, Durins Realm and Greenwood the Great adopted to TA:TW vanilla 1.4.1 Bugixer added quenya and sindarin unit names added Guilds Gwaith-i-Mírdain, Gwaith-i-Erynthin, Gwaith-i-Lúmenquentalë and Gwaith-i-Glinadir'a'mereth - Pictures crafted by Louis Lux +rep him included King Siegfried's silvan general strat model +rep him fixed some minor misspelling and typos flavour text extended fixed the kingdom events for Silvan Elves and Dwarves provided a regular and an elven export_units.txt added 5 events for the History guild added 5 events for the Smith guild fixed the tech-tree for all guilds fixed the educated_woman trait fixed some typos added the Eregion Smith unit added Building: Ent house

Installation:

BACKUP YOUR FILES FIRST!!! Changed files: ...mods\Third_Age\data\descr_building_battle_enums.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\descr_character.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\descr_model_strat.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\descr_sm_factions.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\export_descr_ancillaries.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\export_descr_buildings.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\export_descr_character_traits.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\export_descr_guilds.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\export_descr_units.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\text\building_battle.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\text\export_ancillaries.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\text\export_buildings.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\text\export_units.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\text\export_VnVs.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\text\historic_events.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\unit_models\battle_models.modeldb ...mods\Third_Age\data\world\maps\base\descr_regions.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign\campaign_script.txt ...mods\Third_Age\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign\descr_strat.txt Before you start the game, you need to delete your map.rwm located in data\world\maps\base!!!! Not savegame compatible!!! Extract the archive into whatever your Third Age folder might be (f.e.: C:\program files\sega\medieval II totalwar\mods\third_age\) If you want to play with the names of the units given in Quenya and Sindarin, just rename the export_units_ELVEN.txt into export_units.txt

Known issues:

There are NONE Possible errors ins your system.log.txt are to my knowledge caused by either vanilla script-issues or RC+RR script-issues, but please report them anyways

Contributors:

Special thanks to Basileutatos for unrequested, but highly appreciated intermediate BT-descriptions and portraits +rep him Special thanks to Leonidas480bc for proofreading the flavour content +rep him Special thanks to Nocifer for proofreading the flavour content +rep him Special thanks to mambea for extensive proofreading the flavour content +rep him Special thanks to Louis Lux for reworking two Ancillaries and providing vital support in the field of 2d art +rep him Special thanks to Theodotos I, koultouras and Beorn of Carrock for their gratitude of allowing me to work on this while working for them Special thanks to King Siegfried for creating the silvan general strat model and his permission to use it +rep him Special thanks to TNZ for his ongoing feedback and his valuable thoughts about scripting and coding! My friend, it's always a pleasure to read your thoughts! +rep him Very special thanks for making the Eregion Smith unit come true: koultouras, SHREDDER, Razor, bilwit and of course the team: Louis Lux and Jean=A=Luc +rep them Special thanks to ackrite26 for providing bugfixes for the Eregion Smith unit and the silver surfer issue of interfaction marriages +rep him

Team:

Master of Art: Louis Lux Master of Suggestions: Jean=A=Luc Scripting, coding, research and descriptions: Aikanár

Very last note:

Ongoing feedback of all kinds is vital and therefore highly appreciated!

Granted permissions of use

The following list includes all people that may use my work and the mods they are entitled to use my work for and furthermore by whom they were given permission. Take note that the permissions are restricted to the mods listed, if you have been given permission in the past and want to use my work in another mod, you've to ask me and me alone for permission again. - my dear father Louis Lux for Middle Earth Enhanced granted by me. - my friend Point Blank for his Real Combat and Real Recruitment granted by me. - Hero of the West for his MOS, the Ultimate TATW experience granted by Louis Lux. - Baron Samedi for his Gameplay Enhancing Submods Compilation granted by Louis Lux - King Kong for Third Age: Total War granted by me. - Araval for FRoGS granted by me

[abbews]

Seems pretty cool!

[Sator Mortis]

Sounds really neat, I'll try it out when I start a new campaign.

[Elfhelm]

Thanks for this...'House of the Goldern Flower' Yummy We want the units too! Infact we want unique units for every Elven city! Just one or two per barracks! Only from their hereditary settlements! I know I want never gets! Is it Save game compatible?

[Aikanár]

Thanks for this...'House of the Goldern Flower' Yummy We want the units too! Infact we want unique units for every Elven city! Just one or two per barracks! Only from their hereditary settlements! I know I want never gets! Is it Save game compatible?

Thanks
Nope, it ain't because the desc_strat is edited and therefore you won't get your starting generals start
with the propper traits and ancs, few ancs till yet. But the rest of the thing should work, meaning you
won't have the houses in your savegame, just traits of tribes and this only by adoptions or marriage,
since no father has the apropriate trait for inheritance.
Therefore a new campaign is recommended
Later releases will be savegame compatible concerning the High Elves.

Edit: you're a ing great artist mate

[Elfhelm]

Okay thanks! Ill load it anyway theres only really Harad and a dying Mordor left to finish off in my current game! Thanks again +rep

[Beorn]

Amazing stuff.... Will you make something similar for the other factions???

[Aikanár]

Amazing stuff.... Will you make something similar for the other factions???

Thank's Beorn

I actually don't know. My first goal is to refine the system in the High Elven faction and then adopt it
to the Silvan Elves. It is of course possible to adopt the system to every faction, but this needs more
time and lot more content to be done. Hence High Elves first.
But all in all, yes I think over the time I'll do it for all factions, but don't nail me on that one.
Getting the system to work propper according to the lore and preventing gains of more TTs or HTs then
one and to consider emerging characters of all sorts is my main priority and is mostly achieved, but fine-
tuning has to be done. After that the content will be expanded on huge scale concerning ancillaries.
You see, it's a lot of work, ancillaries can be added later partly savegamecompatible, the system is the
most important, because who needs nice ancillaries which are not assigned propperly.
Btw. feel free to suggest ancs of any sort, will come in handy, when I'll start doing them.

Edit: adopted to the RC+RR Lore Edition 15th of June release.

[Razor]

Nice initiative Aikanár!

Thanks for this...'House of the Goldern Flower' Yummy We want the units too! Infact we want unique units for every Elven city! Just one or two per barracks! Only from their hereditary settlements! I know I want never gets! Is it Save game compatible?

Hmm do I spot a few similarities with the Warriors of Mithlond here? Nice drawing (again) though!

[mambea]

Thanks for this great mod Aikanár!
I've been waiting for something like this!

[Seleukos_I.]

great mod +rep

[Jean=A=Luc]

I support this, + rep.

edit: Hmmm, seems I have to spread the rep before giving it to you again but I can't remember what it is that I recently repped you for.

[Hellenikon]

Great work mate, +rep

If you ever decide to do the same for other factions, and need help later with some lore regarding the southrons i´d gladly try to help you with my limited knowledge

[Aikanár]

Thank you all!

@Bucefalo: I'll keep this in mind, thank you

PS: v0.2 is up

[luraz]

Looking very promising! +rep

[Arvedui]

looks good, i did somthing similar , yours is much better though + rep

[Hallow]

I support this, + rep.

edit: Hmmm, seems I have to spread the rep before giving it to you again but I can't remember what it is that I recently repped you for.

His AAR maybe?

[Jean=A=Luc]

His AAR maybe?

Nah, I didn't read his stinkin' AAR.

[Leonidas480bc]

Three incorrect words in Noldor trait description export_VnVs.txt you have (Those who survived the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age and did not which to return to Valinor or were not granted forgiveness by the Valar builded a new realm in Lindon and Eregion and they took Ereinion Gil-galad, son of Fingon, as their High King. Gil-galad perished at the end of the Battle of the Last Alliance in Second Age 3441. Even thou they are now dwindeling, they still are the most powerful tribe of the remaining Elves in Middle-Earth.) Should be (Those who survived the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age and did not wish to return to Valinor or were not granted forgiveness by the Valar built a new realm in Lindon and Eregion and they took Ereinion Gil-galad, son of Fingon, as their High King. Gil-galad perished at the end of the Battle of the Last Alliance in Second Age 3441. Even thou they are now dwindling, they still are the most powerful tribe of the remaining Elves in Middle-Earth.)

[Leonidas480bc]

More errors:
{Reincarnate_desc}Glorfindel, The Lord of the House of the Golden Flower, slew a Balrog of Morgoth, at the cost of his own life, while he guarded the Eagles -cleft to secure the escape of Tour, Idril Celebrindal, their son Eärendil and the other survivors of the Fall of Gondolin in First Age 507. His fëa? returned to the Halls of Waiting and there was judged by Mandos. After purging for forgiveness of his part in the rebellion of the Noldor, he was released from Mandos and was restored by Manwë. He thereafter dwelt in Valinor till around Second Age 1200, when he was sent back to Middle-Earth to assist Gil-galad against Sauron. Glorfindel is the most powerful Elf alive in all Middle-Earth.

He is a member of the noble House of Elrond. Even thou its members are Noldor It is not however counted among the houses of the Noldor, but is the House of Elwë Singollo - Elu Thingol in Sindarin - King of Doriath and High King of all the Sindar.

The Sindar are of Telerin origin. The Teleri were the third and largest Tribe of the Eldar who decided to follow the invitation of the Valar to come to Valinor. On some occasions smaller or larger groups of the Teleri abandoned the Great March and therefore never achieved the goal of the it, to reach Aman and to dwell under the sacred light of the Two Trees - Telperion and Laurelin. The last separation of the Teleri took place in Beleriand, when Elwë Singollo who together with his brother Olwë led the Teleri on the Great March got lost in Nan Elmoth - a forest in which he met Melian the Maia and was stunned by her song. Long did his (folk Kin)search for Elwë, but found him not. At last his brother Olwë followed the Vanyar and Noldor, who had departed from Beleriand to Valinor before them. Those who wanted to continue the search for Elwë and were not willing to leave Beleriand without him remained and when he returned became a separated people. They called themselves Sindar.

Like the Sindar, the Lindar were of Telerin origin. In fact the genuine name of the tribe of the Teleri was, in their own tongue, Lindai. During the Great March they were given the name Teleri by the Noldor. Teleri means 'those at the end of the line' or 'the hidmost' and that nickname stuck. When the Teleri reached the Hithaeglir - the Misty Mountains - a large number of them were afraid of the mountains, which was raised by Morgoth to hinder the Valar and especially Oromë in making contact with the Eldar, and because of their fear and the beauty of the Vale of Anduin they abandoned the Great March to build there Life there. Nandor they were named by the Noldor in later years, but they called themselves by their old name, save in a new form, Lindi. After many years they split again and a large group of the Nandor, which was led by Denethor, headed off to the south and west and after long years crossed the Ered Luin and finally reached Beleriand, where they settled in Ossiriand under the shadow of the Ered Luin. These folk were further known as the Lindar and their land was called Lindon.

'Those who go back' are the Nandor, but in fact none of the Nandor went back to Cuiviénen - The Waters of Awakening - and none of them rejoined with the Avari. Their Lord was Lenwe and they settled in the Vale of Anduin the Great. In long years of Melkors - later Morgoth - captivity in Mandos they spread out and made their living in Greenwood the Great - which today is called Mirkwood -, Lórien and many other places. After the end of the First Age and Beleriand lost this does not sound right, some of the Sindar of Doriath traveled east, not willing to leave Middle-Earth for now. A fellowship of nine nobles of Doriath reached at last Greenwood the Great. There they were welcomed by the Nandor, whom they perceived being akin. Due to their superior knowledge and wisdom the nine soon became Lords of the Nandor and Oropher, leader of the fellowship, became their King. He fell with the majority of his forces in the Battle of the Dargorlad in Second Age 3434. After the War of the Last Alliance Thranduil, son of Oropher, led only a third of his host back into his kingdom and is their King still. Nowadays most of the remaining Elves in Middle-Earth are (off of this origin) what do you mean by that?