Crusader Kings 3‘s newest expansion, Legends of the Dead, adds two important elements to the game. The first is a sense of legacy, with individual monarchs forging their own legends within your larger dynasty. The second is much less brilliant: the introduction of pests. It surprises absolutely no one, they are ruining everyone’s day in my medieval kingdom.
While I play Crusader Kings 3, I spend my time concentrating on my gentleman (or lady). Their decisions affect the status and fate of the overall dynasty, and when one passes, they pass the throne to their heir. The fun comes when nobles fight over territory, dispute each other’s claims, or try to kill each other. Not only must I lead military campaigns, but I must also circumvent the intrigues of a royal court and keep my subjects and vassals happy. It’s a lot to juggle – and things only get worse when a plague shows up.
There is of course the infamous Black Plague, but there are smaller poxes and diseases that can derail my complex plans. I started a run in the south of Ireland and through tactical marriages I managed to unite the entire island and a large part of England under my flag. And then the Romance Plague appeared. Despite the name, my kingdom did not experience a sudden increase in whimsical romances. It was a coughing, sweating, fatal fever that killed three of my children and much of my population.
Image: Paradox Interactive
Fortunately, I had a cabinet full of professionals who could help me navigate this problem. What surprised me was that some of their suggestions reflected contemporary debates from our own recent pandemic. Some of my advisors told me to lock down, quarantine, and then withdraw with aggressive medical treatment. However, they warned me about the consequences of such a choice, especially for a badly damaged economy. I had to choose whether to take action and how serious that action should be. In my haste to replenish my gold chests and maintain my trade lines, I opted for minimal support. That backfired pretty badly and my poor farmers ended up paying the price.
Some things are familiar and modern, but other parts of Crusader Kings 3‘s depiction of plagues is completely medieval. Once the Romantic Plague hit, I had the option to lock down my kingdom, but I could also choose to simply sequester my family and keep them safe. I decided that what was good for the goose was good for the goose, and since I let the people move freely, it’s only fair that the royal family doesn’t have to worry either. After all, I had a royal doctor, so it would be fine… right?
The doctor was unable to cure my children with advanced techniques such as ‘bloodletting’ and ‘prayer’, so by the time my current queen became ill, I panicked. I asked for the most drastic treatment available, and the doctor tried to remove the affected flesh from her face. So now my queen must rule her plague-ridden kingdom, wearing an iron mask. Not good!
On the plus side, my enemies are affected by illness as much as by death. That’s the nice thing about teasing: they are equal opportunity attackers. I may have a few kids and a face, but I won’t stop conquering and building a legacy – and that’s the beauty of Crusader Kings 3.