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Deus Vult! - Hostage and Prisoner Rules
The value of leaders taken prisoner or hostage in LOTE tends to be understated. Players can often or easily simply replace the held leaders, and move on with their orders with little thought. The following rules attempt to up the ante on the effect of gaining (and being taken) a prisoner. Capturing an enemy leader now means more than simply denying your opponent a leader slot until a new appointment is made. Now, enemy nations must either ransom back their leaders or you can execute the prisoner to cause a direct damage to the nation in some manner. The more high-profile the prisoner, the more the ransom will be worth, and the more damage that will be done via the execution.
These rules are utilized with the following two new actions:
Ransom Prisoner
Type: Leader Action
Stat: Diplomacy
Code: RPR
Cost: 5 APs
Requirement: One of your leaders or royal family held prisoner. Must be taken
in the capital of one of the involved nations.
The leader attempts to negotiate the release of a prisoner from an enemy by offering a one turn tithe to the captors. The level of the success determines the level of the tithe. A failure results in being unable to arrange ransom at all. Higher-Profile Prisoners add to the difficulty of the action, in essence making them more expensive to ransom. Each Leader Type has a maximum percentage that can be paid in ransom, so players at least have an idea on the most they could possibly pay during a turn:
| 2% | Feudal Allies |
| 3% | Full Allies, Female Royals |
| 5% | Lieutenants, Bishops, Male Royals |
| 10% | Princes, Heir-Apparant |
| 25% | King Leaders |
Of course, if multiple leaders are ransomed during the same turn, then the tithing will stack. Prisoners which remain captive for at least one entire turn are eligible to be executed by their captors.
Execute Prisoner
Type: Leader Action
Stat: Charisma
Code: EPR
Cost: 5 APs
Requirement: A Captive held for at least one full turn. Must be taken in the
location of the Prisoner.
The Leader organizes an execution of a captive. The execution will cause turmoil and strife in the target nation as the family and those loyal to the now-deceased vent their frustration against the King who refused to Ransom the Prisoner. Alongside the Execution Order, the acting player may select a specific area to negatively affect: The success effect of the action determines how much the area is affected. High-Profile executions subtract from the difficulty of the action.
| Investment | Pick an Investment. That investment loses some number of GP. If the loss would drop the investment below zero, a 'negative' advancement roll is made to see if a level of advancement is lost. |
| Project | Pick a National Project. That project loses some number of GP, NFP, or Years already invested. Only works on projects in progress, or physical projects (Bridges, Megaliths, etc). Cannot undo social/economic changes or regional cultivations once they have been completed. |
| Works | Pick a location. That location loses some number of Public Works. |
| Control | Pick a location. The nation loses some number of control levels over the location. |
| Stability | The nation gains a higher chance of Dynastic Failure. |
| Technology | The nation loses some number of Tech Points. |
Executing a Prisoner accrues Casus Points against your nation, even if the execution fails to generate an effect.