![An elderly king in a red cloak hunches over a map table in his medieval castle, flanked by windows that show daylight.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/i3WLTqSj7vR-m28gh627N7IDiws=/0x0:1920x1080/1200x800/filters:focal(807x387:1113x693)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73117065/crusaderkings2.0.png)
Image: Paradox Interactive
Cass Marshall
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Crusader Kings 3 is a grand strategy game, infamous for the fact that the best laid plans of lords and ladies often go awry. Characters are prone to cheat, spy, go insane, contract horrible diseases, die in battle, or end up in a prison — all of which can prove dangerous for a fledgling dynasty. In 2024, there will be two new major expansion packs, including one built around the Byzantine Empire.
On March 4, Paradox will release Legends of the Dead, a core expansion that lets nobles commission artists to sing of their great deeds. Legendary dynasties will have access to new decisions, buildings, and feasts. You can even keep a historian at your court, which is a great combo with all the bards and poets that hang around feasts.
You’ll just have to watch out for all the new diseases: the bloody flux, measles, something called holy fire, and the bubonic plague are all on the table in Legends of the Dead. Dealing with other dynasties and peasant uprisings is hard enough, but if a bad plague hits your court, your kingdom could crumble from the inside.
Players can also expect Roads to Power, the Byzantine Empire expansion that allows players to rule from Constantinople. Intriguingly, Paradox suggests that you may be able to take to the roads and live a much more nomadic life as an adventurer for hire.
The full chapter can be pre-purchased in advance for $43.98, and includes a Couture of the Capets cosmetics pack. While we know Legends of the Dead is set for March 4, we’ll have to wait for further release dates on the other updates.
Source: Polygon