Not everyone gets a carefree childhood of toys and games. Some children have the weight of duty on their shoulders, and face years of careful schooling and serious training, with a constant awareness of the responsibilities that await them in adulthood. Child rulers and child guardians take center stage in a modern strategy classic.

Crusaders Kings III: Wards & Wardens is a new event pack for Paradox Interactive’s award-winning medieval history game of deep strategy and immersive role-playing. Its theme, chosen by a vote of the Crusader Kings community, is the special challenge of rearing young princes and nobles in a world where eternal glory is a battle away, and danger lurks in every shadow.

Learning Skills and Building Character

Many new education events add greater depth to the training of the young people of court. Educating the children of the court is now more interactive for both formal tutoring and the ever important life lessons. Shape not just the abilities, but the personality of your young charges, steering them to more acceptable or desirable traits for the important role they will play in the future.

And education doesn’t have to stop once the tutelage has ended. Adult characters may now continue their education, attending university and improving their understanding of the world.

The Potential for Power

You can never neglect the role of royal and noble children as political figures. Even the very youngest children can be guided through life by many people at court - councillors, knights and even Wet Nurses, a new and important position, can prove crucial in a royal child’s development.

Child rulers are especially sensitive to influence and persuasion, and must be on guard against unscrupulous regents who might undermine the young prince. Can you prove your worth through a childhood full of danger?

Hostages

Noble children may play a vital diplomatic and strategic role as hostages in foreign courts, adding a new element of strategy to hosting young people at your court. As they act as guarantees of loyalty or peace from another court, you can weaken the resistance of hostile courts by raising their children to be loyal allies. They may even be torn by divided loyalties - on one side what is owed to duty, and on the other, what is owed by gratitude.

The Crusader Kings III: Wards & Wardens event pack will fill your court with the laughter (or tears) of children as you write a new history of the Middle Ages.