Water of Life - Crusader Kings III Mod

A quest mod for Crusader Kings III that adds the legendary quest for the Water of Life, granting a vastly extended lifespan and powerful bonuses to those who succeed.

This is for those who wants their ruler to just live a bit longer.

Overview

Embark on an epic journey to find the mythical Water of Life. Choose your path—seek ancient ruins or consult learned scholars—and navigate multiple branching storylines filled with challenges, skill checks, and meaningful choices.

Successfully obtain the Water of Life to gain the "Blessed by the Water of Life" trait, granting an extraordinarily extended lifespan (up to 200+ extra years) along with powerful character bonuses. While not true immortality, this dramatically extends your character's reign and impact on history.

Features

🎯 Quest System

• Starting Decision: "Seek the Water of Life" - Begin your legendary quest (costs 200 gold)
• Multiple Paths: Choose between dangerous ruins exploration or scholarly research
• Branching Narrative: Multiple outcomes based on your choices and character attributes

🛤️ Two Main Paths

Ruins Path

Explore ancient, forgotten ruins to find the sacred fountain:

• Navigate through dark passages
• Search for ancient artifacts and clues
• Face dangers and collapses
• Discover the Sacred Chamber

Scholar Path

Consult learned scholars and gather ancient knowledge:

• Impress scholars with your learning
• Appeal to their pride or offer payment
• Navigate confrontations and theft
• Receive directions to the fountain
• Potentially recruit a companion

💪 Attribute-Based Branching

Your character's skills determine available choices:

• Learning (≥12): Impress scholars and decipher ancient texts
• Diplomacy (≥10): Appeal to scholars' professional pride
• Intrigue (≥10): Steal research from scholars
• Prowess (≥13): Fight through ambushes
• Prowess (≥15): Overcome guards in combat
• Stewardship (≥10): Find valuable artifacts

✨ Success Outcomes

Two variations of victory:

1. Drink immediately: +700 prestige, +300 piety, immediate vassal opinion boost
2. Test first: +200 prestige, -20 stress, more cautious approach

❌ Failure Paths

Multiple ways the quest can end:

• Quest Abandoned: -150 prestige, safe but shameful
• Defeated & Injured: -300 prestige, -0.5 health, severe consequences

🏆 The Water of Life Trait

Grants extraordinary bonuses:

• Life Expectancy: +200 years (extended lifespan, not immortality)
• Health: +0.5 (improved vitality)
• Fertility: +0.1 (increased fertility)
• Attributes: +1-2 to key attributes (Diplomacy, Learning, Intrigue)
• Opinion Bonuses: +10 vassal and general opinion
• Monthly Dread: +0.5 (increased prestige)
• Lifestyle XP Gain: +10% (faster learning)**

Note: The character can still die from age, illness, or injury—the Water of Life grants extended life, not true immortality.

📖 Post-Success Content

After gaining the Water of Life's blessing, a follow-up event triggers after 1 year:

• Reflect on your dramatically extended lifespan
• Embrace your extended existence or struggle with watching the world change around you
• Affects character stress differently based on choice

Installation

1. Extract the mod folder to your Crusader Kings III mod directory:

   • Windows: Documents\Paradox Interactive\Crusader Kings III\mod\
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Crusader Kings III/mod/
   • Linux: ~/.local/share/Paradox Interactive/Crusader Kings III/mod/

2. Enable the mod in the CK3 launcher

3. Start a new game (or load an existing save after enabling)

Files Included

Water of Life/
├── descriptor.mod              # Mod metadata
├── README.md                   # This file
├── EVENT_SUMMARY.md           # Detailed event documentation
│
├── common/
│   ├── decisions/
│   │   └── water_of_life_decisions.txt    # Quest start decision
│   ├── on_action/
│   │   └── water_of_life_on_actions.txt   # On-action triggers
│   ├── opinion_modifiers/
│   │   └── water_of_life_opinions.txt     # Opinion modifiers
│   ├── scripted_triggers/
│   │   └── water_of_life_triggers.txt     # Reusable triggers
│   └── traits/
│       └── water_of_life_traits.txt       # Trait definitions
│
├── events/
│   └── water_of_life_events.txt          # Quest events
│
└── localization/
    └── english/
        ├── water_of_life_decisions_l_english.yml
        ├── water_of_life_events_l_english.yml
        └── water_of_life_traits_l_english.yml

How to Start

1. Load into a game as an adult character with 200 gold
2. Open your decisions panel
3. Look for "Seek the Water of Life" decision
4. Click to start the quest
5. Follow the branching storyline based on your choices

AI Usage

The mod includes AI logic. AI characters aged 50+ with health issues or sufficient wealth will pursue the quest autonomously.

Event Flow Chart

Start: Seek the Water of Life (Decision)
├─ Event 0001: The Quest Begins
│  ├─ Path A: Ancient Ruins
│  │  └─ Event 0002: The Forgotten Ruins
│  │     ├─ Event 0010: Into the Darkness
│  │     │  ├─ Event 0030: Sacred Chamber (SUCCESS)
│  │     │  └─ Event 0031: Collapse & Escape
│  │     │     ├─ Event 0030: Sacred Chamber (SUCCESS)
│  │     │     └─ Event 0051: Defeat & Injury (FAILURE)
│  │     │
│  │     └─ Event 0011: Careful Search
│  │        ├─ Event 0032: Artifacts Guide Way
│  │        │  ├─ Event 0030: Sacred Chamber (SUCCESS)
│  │        │  └─ Event 0031: Collapse & Escape
│  │        └─ Event 0050: Quest Abandoned (FAILURE)
│  │
│  ├─ Path B: Scholars
│  │  ├─ Event 0003: The Ancient Texts
│  │  │  ├─ Event 0020: Scholar Accepts You (Learning ≥12)
│  │  │  ├─ Event 0021: Scholar's Doubt (Learning <12)
│  │  │  │  ├─ Event 0020: Impress Them (Diplomacy ≥10 or Gold)
│  │  │  │  ├─ Event 0042: Steal Research (Intrigue ≥10)
│  │  │  │  └─ Event 0050: Quest Abandoned
│  │  │  └─ Event 0022: Hostile Scholar
│  │  │     ├─ Event 0043: Confrontation (Prowess ≥15)
│  │  │     └─ Event 0051: Defeat & Injury (Prowess <15)
│  │  │
│  │  ├─ Event 0040: Journey Begins
│  │  │  ├─ Immediate Travel → Event 0030 or Event 0044
│  │  │  └─ Prepare Thoroughly → Event 0030
│  │  │
│  │  ├─ Event 0041: Companion Joins
│  │  └─ Event 0044: Ambush on Road
│  │     ├─ Event 0030: Sacred Chamber (SUCCESS, Prowess ≥13)
│  │     └─ Event 0031: Escape (Prowess <13)
│  │
│  └─ Path C: Give Up
│     └─ FAILURE (Prestige loss)
│
├─ Event 0030: Sacred Chamber SUCCESS
│  ├─ Drink Immediately: +700 prestige, +300 piety
│  └─ Test First: +200 prestige, -20 stress
│
├─ Event 0050/0051: FAILURE
│  └─ Quest resets in 10 years
│
└─ Event 0060: One Year Later (Success Follow-up)
   ├─ Embrace Immortality: -50 stress
   └─ Struggle with Burden: +80 stress

Compatibility

• CK3 Version: 1.18.*+
• Language: English (easily translatable to other languages)
• Conflicts: None known. This mod uses unique event IDs and does not modify existing vanilla content.

Customization

Change Quest Cost

Edit common/decisions/water_of_life_decisions.txt:

cost = {
    gold = 200  # Change this value
}

Adjust Trait Bonuses

Edit common/traits/water_of_life_traits.txt:

life_expectancy = 200  # Modify years of life
health = 0.5           # Modify health bonus

Modify Event Probabilities

Edit events/water_of_life_events.txt:

random_list = {
    65 = { trigger_event = { id = water_of_life.0030 } }  # 65% success
    35 = { trigger_event = { id = water_of_life.0031 } }  # 35% failure
}

Planned Expansions

Future updates may include:

• No planned expansions.

Credits

• Concept: Quest for immortality through the legendary Water of Life
• Development: CK3 modding

Support & Feedback

For issues, suggestions, or improvements, consider:

• Testing the mod thoroughly
• Checking event logs for errors
• Verifying all traits and decisions are properly defined

Changelog

v1.0 (Current)

• Initial release
• Branching quest with multiple paths (Ruins and Scholars)
• Attribute-based branching with skill checks
• Multiple success and failure outcomes
• Post-success extended lifespan event
• Full English localization
• AI automation for NPC characters

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Enjoy your quest for extended life, and may the Water of Life grant you centuries of vitality!