Religion in the world of Lionhearts is vital to the functioning of every kingdom. Religion acts as a class to support societal ties between kingdoms, as well as provides a place for education, research and alternative power structures.
There will be 4 main religions in Lionhearts:
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Catholicism
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Orthodox Christianity
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Shi'ite Islam
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Sunni Islam
Patriarch
The Patriarch is the leader of a Religion. They declare ordinances for the entire religion through a canonical skill tree. They hold their own unconquerable religious seat.
Archbishop
The Archbishop regulates dioceses within a kingdom. He operates and owns the kingdom’s primary cathedral and religious center. He directly serves both the monarch and patriarch.
Bishop
Bishops can start and lead a diocese within a duchy. They operate and own a lesser cathedrals and church buildings within a duchy. A diocese is made up of priests, monks, deacons, acolytes, and laymen.
A diocese is formed when a priest becomes eligible for bishop by reaching the next tier of the religious favor tree. There are several methods to become a bishop:
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An archbishop or a patriarch may bestow a Diocesan Grant by Church Authority to an eligible priest
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A wealthy priest can petition to establish a new diocese, resulting in a Foundation of Diocese if accepted
After forming a diocese, a bishop gains various responsibilities and opportunities:
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Interact with fellow diocese-holding religious players, and other monastic orders worldwide
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Contribute towards the construction of churches, monasteries, and other religious buildings
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Delegate areas for religious use, including pilgrimage sites and holy grounds
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Ensure the spiritual welfare of the faithful throughout their diocese
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Set preferences for religious ceremonies and practices within their jurisdiction
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Gain favor to potentially become an archbishop or patriarch
The primary goal of a diocese is to further player progression in the religious hierarchy by allowing them to oversee a specific ecclesiastical territory and establish a religion-path sect for themselves. By doing this, they enter the realm of church politics and spiritual leadership. Overall, dioceses are the foundation of the organized religious structure within the game world.
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Once a priest becomes a bishop, they must establish their diocese through the following process:
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Visit the administrative center of the local cathedral
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Interact with the administrative center to begin the diocese establishment process
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Customize their diocese's seal and clerical vestments, adhering to any limits set by the superseding archbishop and patriarch
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Complete the visual customization to unlock the rest of the ecclesiastical center's functions
Dioceses are one of the fundamental aspects of religious influence and spiritual territory. Each diocese, at its core, must be overseen by a bishop or higher, whether they were appointed directly by the patriarch or rose through the ranks of the clergy.
Operating a diocese will be a fun and strategically focused experience. Depending on the size and importance of one's diocese, there may be one parish or many under its control. As a bishop’s diocese expands, there may be a need to delegate duties to their Priests and other clergy members.
Praying is a feature where a player can learn unique, historical and religious prayers to give passive and active buffs. A player can progress its character by memorizing and learning real prayers from scripture and religious texts. Beyond that, as an educational and spiritual practice, players can take out these prayers in their personal lives to use whenever they feel fit. Praying will the core mechanic behind the entire Religious path.
When one enters the religious hierarchy, it comes with bonuses as well as drawbacks. Becoming more religious heightens a character's awareness of their immoral behavior, which is shown to them by a in-game sin counter. Committing a sin gives a minor de-buff to the player, which must be cleansed at confession. The more sins, the higher the consequence on the player.
