Thank you for the bug report.

The title is "Play as leader of a united Russia", having all of Rus at game start is the main feature of this mod. It is the only thing that cannot change.

The other features are minor, the religion features are what i think leads to the CTD, i might just remove them.

When I open the religion window with any follower of slav religion, I experience a CTD. Also, I think a fully formed empire of russia is a bit too much, and giving Rurik the title without the land would be better (he could wage war to obtain what is rightfully his).

Thanks, yea, "Plays as leader of a united Russia in the 869 bookmark", it is already united.

The conversion decision is on top of the vanilla reformation events, for maximum compatibility with the vanilla game and other mods.

If anyone notices bugs, please report them.

I liked the conversion event (would be awesome if you manage to integrate it with the pagan reformation events somehow, but I presume, it's a difficult task), but, it seems, I wasn't attentive enough and didn't realize that with this mod you start playing at the Viking age with Kievan Rus (Gardariki) already formed, also with Rurik as a ruler. I rather thought that I would have a chance to form one by myself, like with addtional subjugation CBs or something.
Thanks anyway.

I think it would be cool to see Sassanid persia, but internally divided between Nestorians, Zoros, and Buddhists. Have zealous members of the dynasty following each of those religions. They were all there historically, and if Islam hadn't taken over, they would've fought over the region.

Good ideas. Persia is a strong ancient nation/empire that under one or another name exists to this day. When doing BK's breakup of the caliphate, i had doubts about breaking up persia but didnt know what else to do with them and broke it up into de-jure duchies like everything else, for consistency. I have had plans of adjusting the 867 scenario in BK:R and offering a more advanced version of that alternate world, one where some of 769's small duchies expanded into bigger realms, this can also include a strong Persia in 867. I like the survival of the Sassanids idea.
As for religions, i feel if its Persia, it should be mostly about Zoroastrianism, with a healthy mix of all kinds of other religions.
Ill try to come up with something nice, probably in the coming days / weeks.

"feel free to suggest" Well, when using your two existing mods together, Persia seems oddly out-of-place with how normal it happens to be. I wouldn't mind a mod to make the region more different. What if the Sassanids never fell? What if Persia was nestorian? Both? Something to make it seem less like vanilla Persia.

@EnderDragonFire i just realized that you are using my mods in a completely unintended, unconsidered, untested way, i was so busy with the 769 scenario for BK that i never even realized what i created for 867.
A middle east that is free to take with a strong jewish presense. Strong jewish Khazaria right next to that, willing to take its share. And a huge Rus that can switch any religion including judaism.
As you see im open for all kinds of crazy alt-history and very-much-history ideas, feel free to suggest. Next up will be a simple Radhanite Trade Route mod similar to the Varangian one.

Yes, while technically and ideologically related, they offer a completely different playing experience. Better to have both mods than just one, the more the merrier.

@Gefilte Your mod is good too, it's just not quite what I was looking for. His mod has a much stronger Alt-history than your mod does! Your mod is much more beleivable and limited, wheras his mod makes Judaism quite a powerful map presence, esp. in the Viking Age with the Khazars as well as Juedea. Different mods for different goals.

Thanks for the comments, im glad some people like these mods.

Dont listen to Gefilte Fish he is just jealous and messing with you :)

"your" Bar Kokhba mod? Don't forget who he stole the idea from.

I'm really enjoying playing this alonside your Bar Kokhba mod, it's a neat alternate history. Add a few other Jewish and Russian flavor mods and you get a totally different CK2 experience.

Thank you, sir or madam!

The Varangian Trade Routes have been moved to a separate mod now, please subscribe to https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1582124909 if you want to continue using this feature.

I'm sure some people would find that useful.

Thanks for the last comment.

I can also offer to split off the trade routes into a separate mod so the players can decide for themselves whether to play with the routes or not.

Varangian trade route low-key makes this the best mod for the Russian region. Combined with the "terminus of the silk road" mod, it also helps make Constantinople filthy rich.

I thought why not add the variangian trade route, the very reason for the existence of the early Rus state, for some historical accuracy. The trade route does only have a fraction of the value of the silk road, so it should not unbalance things too much.

How does adding trade routes help in unifying Russia?

Also the exact same reasons for why i made this mod, for myself personally, are the ones that were stated - the game does not offer a real way to unite russia as Rurik, not with gavelkind, paganism, a long way to christianity, and especially not with all these new kingdoms.

This whole time period in the history of russia is highly debateable. OP in game terms, perhaps. But where is the balance? They have bears and dogs now, you know. I can make a special version of this mod with bears instead of russians, if anyone is interested.

Don't you think it's a bit too OP ? I mean Ruriks state operated more on a tribute basis, rather than suzereinity. It got centralised further down the line but sadly the game doesn't represent it with a mechanic allowing tributaries to become vassals diplomatically (with it being actually mathematically possible, as currently you have to be a super-state in terms of power and also someones de jure liege with their religion and/or culture for them to possibly agree)

Now with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_route_from_the_Varangians_to_the_Greeks , enjoy

Looks like a terrible mod