Advisors

ESU features 24 unique advisors, many of which are flavored variations of the 21 vanilla advisors, as well as a unique government reform available called "Court of Darkness" at tier 31 which allows for an additional 12 dastardly advisors to help or haunt a player's court. Depending on the starting culture there is a diverse panoply of advisor portraits which represent the races of Tamriel for their respective nations. Advisors in Elder Scrolls Universalis may still be upgraded with the requisite DLC however they may not be promoted past skill level 3.

## Court of Darkness

The court of the nation is filled with an oppressive darkness, where the ruler brings on the most skilled, and debased, Tamriel has to offer.

At government reform tier 31 there is an option to select the Court of Darkness reform, which allows **-50%** advisor costs and unlocks 12 unique advisors which provide a large positive effect and a skill scaled negative effect.

Court of Darkness is not available if any of the following government reforms are enabled:

* Oligarchy
* Human Republic (Dutch Republic mechanics)
* Monastic Elections
* Magical State
* Reason and Logic
* Bureaucratic Tyranny
* Divine Right
* Subservient Bureaucracy
* Justified Atrocity
* Celestial Empire
* Daedric Regnum
* Battle-Priest Rule
* Religious Committee

### Light vs Dark Mechanics

Additionally, if the player has Res Republica DLC enabled, this reform provides a Light Advisors vs Dark Advisors Mechanic (the same mechanic is enabled for most of the government reforms which prevent this one),

Where dominance of the dark side offers:

* **-25%** Culture Conversion Cost
* **-25%** Leader Cost
* -1 Legitimacy per year

While dominance of the light side offers:

* +25% Core Creation Cost
* **+0.5** Diplomatic Reputation
* **+1** Legitimacy per year.

## Additional Information

### Legitimacy

Each of the base 24 advisors have a second scaled modifier by skill level, and scaled legitimacy modifier of -0.15 a year per level. So a level one advisor would give -0.15 legitimacy equivalent a year, a level 3 advisor -0.45 legitimacy a year and 3 level 3 advisors -1.35 legitimacy equivalent a year. These mechanics are reversed for meritocracy, such that if playing as Emperor of Cyrodiil each advisor grants **+0.15** meritocracy per skill level per year.

### Advisor Portraits

The advisor portraits used as examples are representatives of the Imperial Culture. Additionally, ESU features 24 unique advisors (12 male and 12 female) for the following cultures:

* Nords
* Bretons
* Redguards
* Imperials
* Altmer (High Elves)
* Bosmer (Wood Elves)
* Dunmer (Dark Elves)
* Dwemer (Dwarven Elves)
* Snow Elvers
* Maormer (Sea Elves)
* Khajiit
* Argonians
* Kothringi
* Lilmothiit
* Orcs
* Imgans
* Minotaurs
* Sloadians
* Vampires
* Akaviri
* Tsaesci
* Tang Moans
* Po Tunians
* Dremora
* Kamalians
* Dragons
* Giants
* Void

### Missions

There are two missions within the administrative line, in positions 5 and 10, Obtain Prestige I and II, which require 25 and 50 prestige, respectively. Completing Obtain Prestige I grants **one** additional advisor and completing Obtain Prestige II grants **-10%** Administrative Advisor Cost. These effects last until end of game.