Rule for interaction with NPN Religious Primacies and Orders

 

In Lords 24 we will not always have a player Primate or Grand Master for NPN Primacies or Religious Orders and the following rules are used to determine how the resources of these NPNs can be used. Non-Player Religious Primacies and Orders in Lords can provide extra resources for Player Nations. These NPN positions are available to grant aid, expend resources, and help to the nations of the same religion through a new Influence-Based system. Influence may be accrued with the NPNs by various actions, and then may be bid to gain access to the various aids available.

Unlike Lords 28DV that also uses an influence based system, in Lords 24 you do not have to spend the influence to gain the benefits. However, the total influence in any Primacy or Order can only total 10. Also, once an Operation capability has been taken, it cannot be assigned to another Influencer. Read on for more details… 

Gaining Influence

The primary way to gain influence with NPN Primacies or Orders is through the Increase Influence (II) Religious Operation. The difficulty of this operation is increased, but players have ways to augment their chances on the attempt by undertaking actions on behalf of the NPN or by granting the NPN its traditional Religious dues. The list is as follows:

Tithes: Catholic Players may set a 1% tithe to the NPN. That percentage of their income is then redirected from them to the NPN's coffers. That turn they receive a significant bonus to the II operation. Players may do this again on subsequent turns, increasing the percentage of tithe by 1% each time. However, once the Tithe is set, it can only be lowered by a Religious Order.

Sites: Traditionally, the NPN would able to construct religious sites within flock nations to increase the NPN's income. In Lords 24 players may do this on the NPN's behalf by using the standard Site Construction Rules. Churches and Abbeys may be constructed as well as Houses and Preceptory sites for Religious Orders. Each site successfully constructed adds a bonus to the next II action undertaken by the nation. Keep in mind that sites require leader actions and resources to construct. However, they will produce additional income for the NPN which in turn is available as aid. These sites do need to follow normal CCR restrictions. Players are encouraged to name the sites after historical cathedrals or monastic orders when performing the construction actions.

Leaders: Nations may also grant their Royal Sons to the NPN as leaders. These leaders are then transferred to the NPN to use internally. Each living leader the nation has granted the Papacy grants a bonus to II actions undertaken during his tenure. This bonus is increased if the leader can secure a higher position within the NPN. The positions are as follows:

 

Primacy Title

Order Title

Position

Father

Brother

Royal Family Section

Bishop

Master

Lieutenant Leader

Cardinal

Commander

Prince Leader

Pope

Grand Master

Ruler

 

(Obviously, these have a Roman Catholic bias and if a Primacy/Order of another religion becomes available I will add those titles in as well)

 

When a slot opens up, all leaders below that slot perform a modified Charisma Skill Check to attempt to win the open position. The leader with the highest level of success gains the slot and the new title. If no one passes the skill check, then a new leader is randomly generated.

Gold: Of course, gold spent on the Operation is always effective. In this case, it represents indulgences bought from the NPN itself. This money must be linked to a specific II Operation when it is undertaken, just like any normal operation.

 

Maximum Influence

The maximum Influence a Nation can obtain is its national Religious Strength. A little known fact is that a high Religious Strength negatively impacts your Tech Point accrual; the more religious fervour in your nation, the more new discoveries and advances are distrusted. In return for taking a hit in the Tech Race, Religious Nations have more maximum pull with their Primate or Orders. This allows those nations to be very competitive for the more lucrative NPN gifts, such as Relics. Of course, sites may only be constructed in locations of the correct religion. Should a location change its religion, any sites of that religion are lost as well.

 

Decreasing Influence

Instead of gaining influence, an Influencing Nation can opt to decrease the Influence another nation has in the NPN. If the nation losing Influence does not have enough Influence to maintain its benefits they will be removed, paving the way for their competitors.

 

The Benefits of Influence

Influence in an Order or Primate gains the Influencing Nation two things. Firstly, the Influencing Nation can Request Aid from the Order or Primate using the RAFP or RAFO order. The rules for these actions are given below in “Using Influence to Gain Aid”. Secondly, the Influencing Nation will gain a level of control in the Order or Primate similar to standard control levels of nations. These will give the influencing nation the same benefits as those an NPN. These benefits and the level of influence required are shown below.

 

Influence Level

Benefits from Order

 

Benefits from Primate

3

Feudal Ally – The nation is seen as a supporter of the Order’s goals and as such the Order will support the nation with manpower. If offensive, then the army may not target another Nation of the same religion. If defensive, the army must target one of the nation's own leaders or locations. If another nation has Influence of 6 then this benefit cannot be taken.

 

4

Tributary - The nation is seen as a supporter of the Order’s goals and as such the Order will support the nation with gold. If another nation has Influence of 6 then this benefit cannot be taken.

Tributary - The nation is seen as a supporter of the Primate’s goals and as such the Primate will support the nation with gold. If another nation has Influence of 6 then this benefit cannot be taken.

5

 

 

6

Economic Ally - The nation is seen as a supporter of the Order’s goals and as such the Order will support the nation with gold

Economic Ally - The nation is seen as a supporter of the Primate’s goals and as such the Primate will support the nation with gold

7

 

 

8

Allied – The nation is seen as a supporter of the Order’s goals and as such the Order will support the nation with gold and manpower. If offensive, then the army may not target another Nation of the same religion. If defensive, the army must target one of the nation's own leaders or locations.

Allied – The nation is seen as a supporter of the Primate’s goals and as such the Primate will support the nation with gold and manpower. If offensive, then the army may not target another Nation of the same religion. If defensive, the army must target one of the nation's own leaders or locations.

9

 

 

10

Friendly – The nation is designated as a defender of the faith and has full control over the Order. The restrictions on the use of manpower still exist if the Order is used as a Free State.

Friendly – The nation is designated as a defender of the faith and has full control over the Primate. The restrictions on the use of manpower still exist if the Primate is used as a Free State

 

 

Using Influence to Gain Aid

Players who accrue influence with the NPN will have the opportunity to gain benefits from the NPN in a similar way to NPN nations. Gifts of money and food, grants of government assistance, use of the Primate or Orders Religious Operations etc are all available.

 

Benefits are gained in the form of aid. To obtain this aid a player must assign a leader to a “Request Aid” action. This action can be carried out at either the player’s homeland/capital or the Primate/Order’s Holy City/Fortress. A bonus is applied is the leader travels to the Primate’s or Order’s location. All benefits/aid are available the turn AFTER they have been granted.

 

The benefits are listed below:

 

Name

Effect

Gold
Share

The nation gains 10% of the NPN's Gold in aid.

NFP
Share

The nation gains 20% of NFP in aid. This pNFP may not be used to recruit troops.

Agro
Share

The nation receives 100% of the NPN's Agro in aid.

Infrastructure

The nation is granted one Infrastructure from the NPN. This Infrastructure may go beyond the normal maximums for Tech Level. The Infrastructure point may be lost if another player uses his influence to pry the clerks away.

Bureaucracy

The nation is granted one Bureaucratic Level and a Bishop from the Church. This bid lasts for the lifetime of the granted Bishop. This BL may go beyond the normal maximums for Tech Level. The BL point may be lost if another player uses his influence to pry the clerks away.

Religious
Operation

The NPN undertakes a Religious Action on behalf of the nation. The nation must specify what Operation is to be used in the notes section of the bid. If offensive, then this Operation may not target another Nation of the same religion. If defensive, the Operation must target one of the nation's own leaders or locations.

Intelligence
Operation

The NPN undertakes an Intelligence Operation on behalf of the Nation. The nation must specify what Operation is to be used in the notes section of the bid. The Operation must be launched from a specific NPN Site. If offensive, then this Operation may not target another Nation of the same religion. If defensive, the Operation must target one of the nation's own leaders or locations.

Assassin
Operation

The NPN undertakes an Assassin Operation on behalf of the Nation. The nation must specify what Operation is to be used in the notes section of the bid. The Operation must be launched from a specific NPN Site. If offensive, then this Operation may not target another Nation of the same religion. If defensive, the Operation must target one of the nation's own leaders or locations.

Relic

The nation gets to use a Relic and a leader to hold it…

Military Support

Support for a military endeavour. The NPN’s army will act as a Feudal Ally. If offensive, then the army may not target another Nation of the same religion. If defensive, the army must target one of the nation's own leaders or locations.

 

 

Request Aid from Primate (RAFP)

Charisma, 6AP, Can be conducted by any K, H or P leader either at leaders homeland/capital or NPN’s Holy City.

The success chance of the "Request Aid" action is modified by the current influence the player has in the NPN.

 

Request Aid from Order (RAFO)

Charisma, 6AP, Can be conducted by any K, H or P leader either at leaders homeland/capital or NPN Fortress.

The success chance of the "Request Aid" action is modified by the current influence the player has in the NPN.

 

Order Status

If a player run Order has a level of status in a NPN it can "Request Aid" in much the same way as a player run nation can request aid. In this case the level of Status the player run order has in the NPN effects the chance of success. Only Military aid can be requested in this way unless the Order has a Status of 6 or greater in the NPN.

 

Request Aid by Order (RABO)

Charisma, 6AP, Can be conducted by any K, H or P leader either at leaders Fortress or NPN’s homeland/capital.

The success chance of the "Request Aid" action is modified by the current status the player has in the NPN.

 

 

Requesting Royal Sons

A player run Primacy or Order can request that NPN nations send them a royal son to swell their ranks. This is done using the "Request Royal Son" action

 

Request Royal Son (RRS)

Charisma, 6AP, Conducted by a K leader only. This can be carried out at the Primate's or Order's court. If successful a Royal Son is added the Primate's leaders or family lists