V2 Beta 1.6.4 – MCM Added, Council Grows, and Skyrim Reacts

The next beta release of Become High King of Skyrim: The Next Generation is here, and with it comes a major leap forward in customization, immersion, and political power. You now rule not only with your sword — but with policy, reputation, and council.

This version is absolutely mammoth and checked off MANY of the pieces of the V2 Roadmap.

⚙️ New MCM Menu – Customize Your Reign

The long-awaited Mod Configuration Menu (MCM) is now available, allowing you to adjust key mechanics of your kingdom mid-playthrough:

• 👑 Title Options: Switch between High King, High Queen, or High Monarch

• 💬 Essential Dialogue Toggle: Disable the Are You Essential? dialogue option

• ⚖️ Difficulty Settings: Adjust Realm Management difficulty (Easy, Medium, Hard) to control tax income, approval penalties, and treasury upkeep

All options can be changed anytime during your reign via the MCM.

🧥 Follower Outfit System + Kalel’s Blade

All three guild followers — Eldis, Veldar, and Kalel — now wear custom, lore-friendly outfits not found in any other mod. These are unique visual signatures for each follower.

Also included: Kalel’s signature blade, “Bloodtide”, a sleek and deadly scimitar styled in red and gold.

🧮 1. New Council Role – Hadrian Quintas, Master of Coin

Hadrian joins the court with a recruitment quest that starts by speaking to Surgus about filling council roles.

Once appointed, Hadrian unlocks full control of your realm’s economy:

• Set tax rates per hold or across all of Skyrim

• Watch your riches grow in the treasury - more money in the Ledger = more gold and treasure in the vaults

• Unlock loan systems and economic upgrades, borrow from 3 banks but don't let your payments lapse or you'll be locked out of your player homes that you use as collateral

Hadrian is your key to funding an empire — and possibly ending it through debt.

👑 2. Choose High Queen or High Monarch

You can now choose how you're addressed across all titles and NPC dialogue:

• High King

• High Queen

• High Monarch

This can be changed any time via the MCM to fit your character’s style or immersion.

🎨 3. Armor & Weapon Texture Overhaul

Thanks to the work of Simdrew1993, this update includes beautiful new textures for:

• Royal Armor Set

• Highreach Guard uniforms

• The Stormcrown

• Royal Weapons

Your court should look legendary — and now it does.

🏞️ 4. Highreach Valley Overhaul – Expanded & Enhanced

The entire Highreach worldspace has received major visual and functional upgrades:

• Landscaping now features more seamless transitions and fewer gaps

• Highreach River and Coldrun Lake have been enhanced for realism and depth

• Dozens of new clutter assets and immersive audio in homes, buildings and the Castle including new unique Highreach lore-friendly paintings

This is no longer just a castle — it’s a full region.

🛡️ 5. New Guards – Crownsguard

A new elite faction of Crownsguard now protects the throne:

• Unique models and voice types (male & female)

• Custom armor

• Stationed throughout the Keep and Treasury

• Will eventually be expandable into personal bodyguards and elite units

🗣️ 6. Guard Dialogue Overhaul

Highreach guards now recognize your rule with 20 new immersive lines, replacing tired vanilla guard chatter with royal greetings and reactions.

📊 7. Popularity System – Phase 1

Likely the biggest piece of V2 up to this point and something I don't think has ever been done to this level. Your reign is now measured by how the people see you:

• Each hold has a popularity score from 0–100

• Most changes are triggered by player decisions — especially tax rates

• The King’s Ledger shows per-hold and overall Skyrim approval

• NPCs will now change their hellos and goodbyes based on how loved — or hated — you are

Want to be feared or adored? The numbers will show it.

🌊 8. New NPC – The Lady of the Lake

This mysterious figure offers a shortcut to claiming the throne.

• She allows you to become ruler, recruit Surgus, and start appointing your council — no need to follow the traditional quest path

• She only appears on the island in Coldrun Lake, and only if:

  • Civil War is completed (either side)

  • No One Escapes Cidhna Mine is completed

  • Blessings of Nature is completed

  • At least one guild main questline is completed

She appears only to those who have proven their will — but not yet claimed their crown. Using her abilities is entirely optional. For returning users, I would recommend having her make you ruler and recruiting Surgus - but give Hadrian's recruitment quest a go. Remember, always go talk to Surgus.

🛠️ 9. Bug Fixes and Map Adjustments

• Fixed issue with Lairah’s location — she should now appear earlier and more reliably when ready

• Removed Highreach Valley map marker (unneeded and redundant)

• Adjusted Highreach Keep map marker for better world map accuracy

• Highreach Keep added to all vanilla maps! Go look for it on any of the war maps in Jarl's homes.

• Probably 100s more fixes but I can't remember all of them over the last month.

This beta release is available now for all paid Patreon supporters.
Your support is what makes these systems possible — thank you for helping build the throne.

AND BE SURE TO REPORT ANY BUGS!!!! You're my eyes and ears on this - the biggest update yet.

– Clover 👑

Hotfix changelog
1.6.4.024 - Added missing audio. Fixed Master of Coin charity quest.