Civ and Leader Idea: Silla + King Jinheung

[gdr_willter]

Hi fanatics! I posted an Civ 7 idea thread before, now it's a time for renewing it with more findings from recent reveals. The first heros are the Silla Kingdom and the great King Jinheung!
Click the spoiler to read more informations about the historical sources and design intentions

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SILLA - ANTIQUITY AGE CIVILIZATION​

Unique Ability

Golpum: Increased Production toward Units and Wonders in the Capital for every Town.


Attributes:

• Expansionist
• Diplomatic

Spoiler About Ability and Attributes :

Golpum (Bones and Ranks)

Silla's unique social class system includes Seonggol, Jingol, and 1~6 Dupum. I tried to describe the martialism and architecture legacies of Silla nobles who thrived in the capital Seorabeol (Gyeongju). The ability itself is meant to gather the Silla's various bonuses for occupying and stabilizing the border Towns to the Cultural Legacy Path.

Attributes

I wondered whether Expansionist or Militaristic is better to show Sillia history from the Jinhan's small trive Saro to the Unifed Silla. But I don't want to make Silla a typical conqueror, so I chose Expansionist. Diplomatic comes from the important alliances of Silla history like Silla-Baekje and Silla-Tang relationships.

Civic Trees

Geoseogan

• Tier 1: Increased Gold from Celebrations. Unlocks 'Guardian Dragon' Tradition.
• Tradition - Guardian Dragon: Border provide more Sight Range. Increased Combat Strength for any Units in this range.

Chachaung

• Tier 1: Unlocks the ability to found a Pantheon. Unlocks 'Sijomyo' Tradition.
• Tradition - Sijomyo: Palace gains Happiness for every Milestone reached in this Age.

Isageum

• Tier 1: Unlocks Yeonmujang Unique Building and 'Gyerim' Tradition.
• Tradition - Gyerim: Increased Influence for unimproved Vegetated Terrain in Cities. Increased Influence toward Befriend and Incorporate Diplomatic Actions for Independent Powers and City States.

Maripgan

• Tier 1: Unlocks Cheokgyeongbi Unique Building and 'Eupseong' Tradition. Increased Settlement Limit.
• Tradition - Eupseong: Increased Gold towards turning Town into City when the Town have Wall on at least one District. Every Unique Quarter on Rough Terrain gain combined ability with Sanseong and its own.

Unified Korea

• Tier 1: Unlocks 'Guju Osogyeong' Tradition and Emile Bell Wonder.
• Tradition - Guju Osogyeong: Gain Happiness from every Town not founded by yourself. Gain Influence from every City. The bonuses become twice when you have less Settlements than the Limit.

Spoiler About Civic Trees :

Civic Trees

I gave 5 Traditions to Silla, and this is the largest amount of Tradition, tie with Norman. It is an intentional design because the successors Goryeo and Joseon have their ability about Traditions. Most Traditions have bonuses for attacking neighbor Settlements, or defending and stabilizing the Silla territory.

Geoseogan (Precious One)

The first historical title of the king of Silla. Only used for the founder Hyeokgeose. In this period, Silla (Saro) was originally just a confederated kingdom without strong authority within. But later kings of Silla deified Geoseogan Hyeokgeose ex post facto, then he and his reign became more symbolic and important foundation of Silla dynasty.

Tradition - Guardian Dragon

Silla people belived their kingdom was protected by the Dragon of the East Sea, but actually this belief started after the funeral of King Munmu on his submerged stone tomb in the East Sea. Coincidentally, Goryeo people belived their kingdom had the protection of Dragon (of the Yellow Sea in this case), so this is such a nice Tradition imo. This Tradition provide good sight and combat bonuses from your border, so it'll be helpful both of defense and offense.

Chachaung (High Shaman)

The 2nd historical title of the king of Silla. The only Chachaung Namhae integrated the political and religeous authorities to himself by building the first Sijomyo and becoming the first priest of it.

Tradition - Sijomyo (Progenitor's Shrine)

The shrine of the former kings of Silla. It's functionally similar with the Confucian style royal ancestral shrine, Jongmyo, of a later date. I gave the bonus to stabilize the empire from the progress of its history (Legacy Milestones).

Isageum (Sage)

The 3rd historical title of the king of Silla. It used during a pretty long period from the 3rd to 16th kings, and someone guess it is the etymology of the word "imgeum" which means king in Korean. During the reign of Isageum Talhae, Silla started to use its name as Gyerim and also started the attempt to merge Gaya. Kim Alji, the ancestor of the Silla dynasty of Kim clan, was born in the reign of Talhae too. The place he born was called Gyerim either, but the causation between those names of country and place is unkown.

Tradition - Gyerim (Forest of Rooster)

After the period that Silla used the name of Gyerim, it had become a common nickname of Silla and following Korean kingdoms. Civilians of China and Japan even called Joseon as Gyerim sometimes. This name has some correlation with the forest in Gyeongju which has the same name, so I gave the forest Influence bonus. IP/CS incorporate bonus is based on the local consolidation history of Silla.

Maripgan (Chief Sovereign, King of the King)

The 4th historical title of the king of Silla. Primogeniture was started in this period, and Maripgan Jijeung finished the era of unique titles by adopting the title of Wang(王, king in Chinese). In the reign of King Jinheung, the grandson of King Jijeung, Silla faced its greatest Golden age before the unification, they occupied important areas like the Hangang River basin.

Tradition - Eupseong (Town Wall)

Eupseong and Sanseong are the most common types of wall/fortress in Korea. While Sanseong is the strategic mountain base for the area defense, Eupseong is the town wall to directly protect the city. Eupseongs of Three Kingdoms of Korea were mainly built as earthen fortifications, but some of them still exist. This Tradition allows to build new Sanseong after the done of the Antiquity Age, because every Korean dynasties built and used Sanseong again and again.

Unified Korea (Samhan Iltong)

After the unification of Three Kingdoms of Korea, despite the loss of the large part of Goguryeo territory, Silla had a hard will to complete the unification. They crushed the Tang invasion, and tried to merge Goguryeo and Baekje people into the Silla society. This made historians of Goryeo and Joseon to acknowledge Silla is the first unified Korean dynasty. Today, after Balhae got more interest of nowaday Korean historians, the Unified Silla Period now usually called Northern and Southern State Period. But they still agree with that the concept of the "single and unified Korean nation" started from Unified Silla.

Tradition - Guju Osogyeong (9 Provinces and 5 Subcapitals)

The local administraion system of Unified Silla. It devided the entire territory into 9 Ju (provinces). And because the capital Gyeongju was located in the corner of its extended territory, they allocated 5 Sogyeong (small capitals) to controll the local provinces well. So I designed the bonuses comparing the 9 Ju as the occupied Towns, and 5 Sogyeong as the Cities.

Unique Infrastructure

Sanseong: Unique Quarter. Provides Free Wall to this District immediately. Increased Ranged Combat Strength for any Units on Walled District in this Settlement.

Yeonmujang: Unique Building. Culture base. Culture Adjacency for Rough tiles. Can be purchased in Town.

Cheokgyeongbi: Unique Building. Happiness base. Influence Adjacency for Mountain and any kind of River. Can be purchased in Town.

Spoiler About Infrastructure :

Sanseong (Mountain Fortress)

Highly common fortification method that was optimized for the rough Korean terrains. It has long history and lots of brilliant exploits, even some Sanseongs are still standing from the Three Kingdoms Period, like Samnyeon Sanseong. Battles on Sanseong were usually done by throwing rocks and arrows downward from the height of wall and hill, so I gave units the ranged combat strength bonus. You can use Sanseong in everywhere and every Age with Korean Civs and Eupseong Tradition, because I insisted to make their Unique Buildings can be purchased in Towns.

Yeonmujang (Martial Stage)

I tried very hard to came out the proper Silla Unique Buildings, because there are not enough documentations about common infrastructures of Silla unless the wonderous monuments. Sijeon (market) was too common, Cheomseongdae was too specified. Finally I nearly created this one from the records that commented about martial trainings of Hwarang. But it is true that the Silla society emphasized the martialism during the long long war of Three Kingdoms and Hwarang was one of the answer about it. So this building allows to build Hwarang.

Cheokgyeongbi (Border Expansion Monument)

King Jinheung built his monuments nearby the extended border. He sent monks or visit himself with them to these sites. The main purpose of these monuments and events was trying to stabilize the newly incorporated areas. So it provide Happiness, especially when it adjacent to natural borders.

Unique Civilian Unit

Hwarang: Unique Cadet Unit. Can only be built in the Capital once each Yeonmujang is completed, and the specific Hwarang received is random. Each Hwarang can only be received once. Cost increases per Hwarang built.

Possible Hwarang Units:

• Giparang: Activated on a Constructible with a Great Work Slot to grant a Codex called 'Song of Giparang' that grants Culture.
• Gwisan: Activated on a Constructible with a Great Work Slot to grant a Codex called 'Sesok Ogye' that grants Science.
• Kim Yusin: Activated on a Yeonmujang to grant a free Army Commander.
• Kim Chunchu: Activated on the Palace to immediately trigger a Celebration.
• Kim Eungnyeom: Activated on a City Hall to trigger a free Growth Event.
• Sadaham: Activated on a tile of the Neutral or Friendly Independant Power to incorporate it into your empire as a new Town.
• Bangul: Activated on a hostile tile to grant a free Cavalry Unit.
• Gwanchang: Activated on an Army Commander to grant it a free Promotion.
• Yeongrang: Activated beside a Natural Wonder to improve free Expedition Base on it and grant it a permanent Happiness.
• Kim Hyojong: Activate on a Rural District to grant it Culture.

Unique Military Unit

Guseodang: Unique Infantry Unit. Increased Combat Strength in/toward Walls and Fortifications. Can only be built or purchased in Capital or Settlement not founded by yourself.


Associated Wonder

Emile Bell: Grant Happiness for base yeild. Immediately trigger a Celebration. Increased Settlement Limit. Must be placed in the Capital.


Starting Biases:

• Navigable River
• Rough

Spoiler About Units, Wonder and Biases :

Hwarang

The famous noble youth organization of Silla. It was known as the warrier group before, but historians now consider them more likely as the ancient boy scout - they played, studied, trained and sometimes went to battle as will. I picked 10 popular Hwarangs in real history, and gave them each bonus from their anecdotes and Silla's main mechanic.

Guseodang (9 Flags Armies)

The formation of the central army of Silla. "Seo" means flag. It named after the 9 units with each unique flag, formed by the soldiers from different origins: Silla, Goguryeo, Baekje, or Malgal. That's why you only can build/purchase Guseodang in the Capital or the occupied Settlements.

Emile Bell

In the base game, Emile Bell is disigned as the representative for the whole Korean history (mainly Goryeo) instead of Silla's one. So I replaced it with the bonuses which can represent the real Bell, the temple bell to commemorate the reign of King Seongdeok.

Starting Biases

Came from Nakdonggang River and Gyeongju basin.

Civ Unlocks:

• Historical Choice of King Jinheung.
• Historical Choice of Taejo Wang Geon.
• Geographical Choice of Sejong The Great.
• Geographical Choice of Yi Sunsin.
• Unlocks Goryeo in Exploration Age.
• Unlocks Joseon in Modern Age.

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KING JINHEUNG​

Unique Ability

Hansanha: Increased Combat Strength for every Unit beside a Navigable River. Increased Settlement Limit for every City located beside a Navigable River. Increased Gold towards purchasing Buildings in Settelment not founded by yourself.


Attributes:

• Expansionist
• Militaristic

Agendas:

Hwangnyongsa: Decrease Relationship by a Medium Amount for each Unhappy Settlement in other players' empires. Increase Relationship by a Medium Amount for each Happy Settlement in other players' empires.


Starting Biases:

• Navigable River
• Rough

Leader Legends:

• Memento - Jangnyuksang: Increased Gold towards purchasing Happiness Buildings.
• Memento - Sunsubi: Increased Culture and Happiness for Monuments per Ages.

Spoiler About King Jinheung :

King Jinheung is the 24th King of Silla, who expanded the Silla territory from southeast corner of the peninsula to the greater area. He defeated Goguryeo and Baekje in order, occupied the Hangang River (Hansanha) basin, and advanced to the northern limit reached to Hamgyeongdo. He built a lot of Sunsubi (Tour commemorating monument) all over the borderland, and promoted Buddhism through the kingdom. The marvelous Hwangnyongsa Temple was also his achievement.

Associated Civ Choices:

• Silla
• Han
• Unlocks Joseon in Modern Age.

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Feel free to talk about this design and suggest something new ideas! And I'll be back with Goryeo tomorrow.

 

[Archanist]

Cool concept and really informative, but my burning question is what inspired that icon? It looks similar to Seondok's crown in Civ 6, and I wanna know more about it

 

[Zaarin]

Cool concept and really informative, but my burning question is what inspired that icon? It looks similar to Seondok's crown in Civ 6, and I wanna know more about it

You're correct. It's the crown of Silla.

 

[Baudshaw]

It's a super cool civ idea. I made a few civ concepts for civ 6, but civ 7 is a lot more complex and detailed. It's very interesting to see