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ventually, like all things, the Middle Ages must draw to a close as the world expands and explorers – Conquistadors, the new Crusaders – find a New World to explore and conquer. The old Medieval kingdoms will turn into the new nation states as feudalism fades and strong autocratic kings rule over those centralized nations. The time for the old Crusader Kings will pass. As the curtain falls on the Middle Ages, the game will draw to an end. The goals of this open-ended game are very flexible. Did you want to take the obscure Duke of the Western Isles and build a new Mediterranean Empire? Did you want to take the third son of a Danish King and, with his family, accomplish the Reconquista of Spain? Your goals are your own, and your conditions for victory are what you make of them. For those of you who want validation of your success from the game engine: you have not been forgotten. As each ruler of your dynasty passes, his Prestige score at the moment of his demise is added to your total score, which is a running tally and a great way to judge how you are doing within the game. When the game draws to a close in 1453, the final scores of all the dynasties are compared, and the more Prestige your rulers have garnered, the higher your score. Blaze a trail of glory across Europe and the Middle East, and your dynasty will win eternal renown as true Crusader Kings.
