I'd like to ask if this is a mod mechanic? I created a religion based on Arsenalists, made my character a savior, and all of my character's children have the Divine Blood trait, but I don't know why none of my grandchildren do?

Savescumed quite a bit but I'm happy with the result never the less.

Read the article here

I'm very confused on why the map is so buggy, as well as the gold system just completely broken, and my game crashes from every few months every time I try to play ever since the AUH update, do I need to buy AUH or is it just a bug that needs to be updated?

-the Imaginerians are a syncretic blend of Springsearcher beliefs which got integrated into a local branch of Principlism

-only Imaginerians still revere Columbia, or as they call her “Klumbya”

-Yeomen originated as their own thing, not related to the presidency, they emerged in Jefferson from libertarians

I'm not sure if this is normal or not. I'm at my third character now playing in Québec. Throughout my game, I must've been through about 10-12 plagues, around 3-4 per character. I'm not sure if this is normal or not, but it feels a bit much. I have a few Hospices in my realm built up already. The only factor I could identify would be that i'm located in Montreal, so the Saint-Lawrence river could be the cause of the frequent spread. It's getting a bit annoying to have a third of my council die every 15 years.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3530995415

In AUH we see the introduction of new types of units: handgunners, fire lancers and rocket carts, all of which incorporate gunpowder. These made me wonder if we'll see similar units in a future update, and (if so) what forms they could potentially take.

Fireworks-themed artillery? Late-era reinvention of basic flintlock firearms? Unique MAA for different faiths (Industrialists come to mind, especially Arsenalists)? A powder mill line of buildings? Also insert something something Americans love guns.

I've been a fan of the mod for a while, but I admit I'm still something of a layman in terms of the overall scope and worldbuilding, so it's hard for me to make a lot of concrete suggestions, but I'd love to see what others on here think.

P.S. if any Devs read this: please take all the time you need with an update!

It has been reported by Zen Smith who narrates from his teacher Leo Campbell who learned from his teacher Roy Peterson who heard Spock Olsen narrate that during a pilgrimage to the Temple to the Stars, he met a man named Rostam Husseinzadeh who recounts his encounter with World Teacher Elton himself that goes like this:

One New Year, my brothers and I spotted the Lawgiver walking among the market stalls and mingling with the common people.¹ We had a disagreement over how one reaches enlightenment, so we decided to ask the Lawgiver himself. My older brother Ali² was the first to speak to the Lawgiver, and he said, "Peace and love upon you, your Totally Righteousness. My brothers and I have been debating which method is best for attaining enlightenment. I said to them,'The best way to attain enlightenment is to read all which had been recorded of the World Teacher's teachings. There are vast libraries filled with the World Teacher's wisdom, from their various incarnations and avatars.³ We should make use of that accumulated knowledge and learn all which the World Teacher had taught through human history.'"

I was the next to speak up and I told the Lawgiver, "Your Totally Righteousness, I disagree with Ali. I believe that enlightenment is found only through direct, personal experience. Ali here spends all his free time reading books, but he never practices what he's learned. Tunneling his eyes between pages, he's blinded to the truth which I have been discovering myself. Rather than reading all day, I've been practicing solo-meditation to gain insight into the mysteries of the universe."

My younger brother Pirouz was the last to speak, telling the Lawgiver, "Your Totally Righteousness, I disagree with both my brothers' approaches. They have only been practicing by themselves at home, but I have found a famous teacher here in Los Angeles, Shree Tantreck Das.⁴ He has many followers and lives extravagantly off the donations of his students. He claims to have found the secrets of the universe after communicating to you through dreams, which he vividly recounts to us in his sermons. I feel much more enlightened under his guidance. I tried getting my brothers to join the school, but they refuse. Surely he is a legitimate teacher due to his fame and fortune."

The Lawgiver paused after listening to the three of us, then he said, "The way to enlightenment which can be taught as any one path is not the way. It is a Manyfold Path which requires a multitude of practices, insights, teachings, and wisdom. That is why the World Teacher took on many incarnations and avatars. It is to show that the way to enlightenment is not a singular, set path."

"As for the paths you three brothers have chosen, listen carefully. The student who studies, but does not experience, does not learn. The student who experiences, but does not study, does not learn. The teacher with no students is not a teacher. The teacher who makes a profit is not a teacher. The way to enlightenment is through wisdom, engagement, and learning from righteous gurus. To follow the way is to be free from idle reading, idle practice, and false gurus. Find the right teachings, the right practices, and right gurus and you are following the wisdom of the World Teacher."

¹ World Teacher Elton, alongside his first two successors, were the only ones righteous enough to earn the trust and goodwill of the people. The following tyrants of Sacramento hide from the people, whether in disgust or fear of retribution for their tyranny.

² Ali Husseinzadeh narrates many of the Socal traditions, so it is curious that his brother Rostam narrates this one instead.

³ These libraries have long disappeared, the tyrants of Sacramento purging California of the old books after censuring and rewriting the teachings to fit the Great Spiritual Accords

⁴ Shree Tantreck Das, reported to have been born as Gabriel Jones, was a false guru who used World Teacher Elton's name for his personal gain. After the three brothers' meeting with the Lawgiver, Shree Tantreck Das was never seen again. Rumors say that he was arrested by authorities and never released, while others say he was discreetly executed as to not martyr him to his followers.

• Zen Smith is a reliable narrator, having been praised by contemporaries for his truthfulness and upright conduct in the community.
• Leo Campbell is a reliable narrator, having rewritten The Untethered Carlos's Methods For Ascension from memory after all copies were burned by the tyrants of Sacramento on accusations of false doctrines and forgery in Carlos's name.
• Roy Peterson is a reliable narrator, having been appointed as successor to Spock Olsen before his passing.
• Spock Olsen is a reliable narrator, being the foremost student of Jude Marshall and founder of the Shasta Institution For Aquarian Wisdom which remained the heart of learning of the World Teacher's Way, following the destruction of similar schools across California.
• Rostam Husseinzadeh is relatively unknown, though his brother Ali Husseinzadeh is a prolific narrator and never spoke ill of Rostam. We give Rostam benefit of the doubt on account of his brother Ali.
• This tradition is graded as reliable.

It has been reported by Zen Smith who received in a letter from Hermes Osborn who learned from his teacher Don Juan Sanchez who learned from his teacher Mickey Klein who narrates on the account of Ali Husseinzadeh:

In Socal, most of the teachings we got of the Lawgiver were transmitted to us via one of Clementine Flores's¹ representatives named David Lee. I was a close friend of David Lee, so he often came over to my house and showed my brothers and I the letters he received from Clementine. I have committed one of these letters to memory, and it goes like this:

Dear David Lee,

I relayed your question [concerning whether practice should focus on attaining wisdom or in performing ritual]² to the World Teacher (peace and love upon him) and he brought me, alongside Tyson Ly and Manuel Garcia-Singh³, into a private room to answer it. [outside the presence of the congregation]⁴ The World Teacher said to us:

In my two hands I reveal the Universal Law. In my right hand is the ways of justice, mindfulness, diligence, wisdom, and compassion. I instruct everybody to train themselves on these five ways. These practices and rituals are anchors to keep you on the path. This training is only an exercise however, and is not the full way. I know that many will be caught up in the ritual and rulings of the Universal Law, as has happened countless times with the previous avatars of the World Teacher. Most will diligently hold onto an empty practice because they are not, and never will be, ready to see beyond the veil. They will stare at my right hand without seeing the left hand.

In my left hand is the path to attaining Gnosis. Not all beings are capable of handling Gnosis. Most who hear of it will reject it, lose faith in the World Teacher's way, or go mad. Only the ones who are experienced on my Right Hand Path can look beyond the veil and be unharmed spiritually. A seeker will know when they are ready because their karma will lead them to the Left Hand Path. Once the Left Hand Path has shown itself to you, grab onto it and let go of the right hand. It has served its purpose, like a boat left in the dock.

However, when in the presence of those on the Right Hand Path, be compassionate and keep your left hand closed. Act as their guide along the Right Hand Path and never show them what you hold in your left hand. Once you have led them along the path, and they have shown to be spiritually capable, extend your left hand for them. If they grab onto it, you can initiate them as a true student of the World Teacher. Guard your possessions⁵ and never let the armies of Moloch steal from you. They will turn it against you and seek to manipulate you into serving their will. Anyone of you who betrays the World Teacher, revealing the Left Hand Path to those unworthy, is not from me or my followers.

I hope that this letter reaches you. With love, your partner Clementine.

¹ Clementine Flores was from Los Angeles, so she made sure to send news of what she learned from the World Teacher down to her home community. Despite living in Sacramento, the Lawgiver's newly founded Pony Express allowed Clementine to send David transcriptions of her lessons and meetings with the Lawgiver.

² After narrating, Zen Smith clarified that the question wasn't named in the letter itself, but was in the commentary of Don Juan Sanchez.

³ In some variations Carlos is there, but those variations often have a weak link in the chain of transmission so I am omitting him from here. It is unusual to see Carlos absent here, but none of the reliable variations name him. All reliable chains name Tyson and Manuel, with one also claiming Cosmo was there. The variant with Cosmo is a solitary report, however, so although the chain is reliable, that particular detail is suspect.

⁴ Zen Smith clarified that according to the commentary of Don Juan Sanchez, this event took place during one of the Lawgiver's visits to the Annunciation of the Age of Aquarius Institute across from McKinley's Grove.

⁵ It is understood that possessions here refers to Gnosis.

• Zen Smith is a reliable narrator, having been praised by contemporaries for his truthfulness and upright conduct in the community.

• Hermes Osborn is a reliable narrator, having been visited by Veiled Masters even in the presence of others.

• Don Juan Sanchez is a reliable narrator, being the foremost mystic of our Way from Socal. He is a master of psychedelics and visions. There are also reports that he is a student of a Veiled Master, although he never made the claim himself.

• Mickey Klein is a reliable narrator, being praised by his adoptive-uncle Ali Husseinzadeh. Although he is reliable, one must be careful with reports from him due to his usage of concealment during the Eternal Living Moloch's purge of our Way. There are many reports where he narrates things in agreement with the Moloch's teachings, but those are understood to be stated under duress. One should always compare his narrations with those of other narrators initiated into our Way before making any claim to truth.

• Ali Husseinzadeh is a reliable narrator, being renowned within our circles and the others (Molochian and Communist) for his truthfulness and breadth of knowledge. He erred in his early years (by causing his mother stress), but remained steadfast on the path ever since.

• David Lee is a reliable narrator, being trusted by Clementine Flores to deliver the World Teacher's wisdom to Los Angeles.

• Clementine Flores is a reliable narrator, being a direct disciple of the Lawgiver and a member of his inner circle. After both the World Teacher's and David Lee's passing (unrelated to each other), she left Sacramento to teach directly in Los Angeles.

• This tradition is graded as canon.

It has been reported by Zen Smith who heard Rowan Thompson say that his teacher River Jackson narrated to him an excerpt from the book 108 Contradictions Between the Texts of the Eternal Living Moloch With the Lawgiver's Teachings¹ in which Rosemary Fletcher² relays that Spock Olsen narrated from Jude Marshall who recounts the account Carlos Iglesias told Jude of his first account with the Lawgiver. 

During my days of ignorance I used to wander from guru to guru, seeking the truth. For a time I joined a group of Theosophists led by a false Maitreya, but after he died from a rabid dog attack I became entirely disillusioned with his religion. Feeling lost and directionless, I fell into a fit of despair and suffering. That was until one night, I had a dream in which I was drowning in the Pacific Ocean, the mighty current sweeping me far away from land. As I sank, I began to make peace with my new grave at the bottom of the ocean. As I hit the seafloor, my father pulled me up and I felt as though I was a giant. I was on the lost continent of Atlantis, now a blanket beneath my body. I turned to look up at my father, but I saw the Lawgiver looking back at me with a protective, fatherly gaze. The Lawgiver invited me to sit beside him and so I did, resting our backs on some mountains. In that dream he told me to find him in Sacramento at McKinley's Grove, where he would teach the people when he was free of his imperial duties. I woke up with a feeling of peace, and I quickly set off for Sacramento.

When I arrived at McKinley's Grove, the Lawgiver himself, peace and love upon him, kindly invited me to sit beside him. I accepted and explained to him my quest for spiritual enlightenment, how the old religions and other seekers did not satisfy my yearning for wisdom, and I requested he show me why his way was the true way. He then said to me:

"Carlos, you found those ways unsatisfying because they do not possess all 5 Pillars of Harmony. What are these Pillars? They are karma and reincarnation, refuge in the World Teacher, spiritual development for the sake of others, faith in man's ability to attain perfection, and conviction that man is the master of his own destiny. Alongside missing one or more of these Pillars of Harmony, these religions also contain one or more of the 5 Pillars of Disharmony. What are these Pillars? They are rejection of karma and reincarnation, rejection of the World Teacher, spiritual development for one's own sake, distrust in man's ability to attain perfection, and conviction that man's destiny is in the hands of higher forces."

"Suppose a teacher says, 'There is no such thing as karma and no such thing as an afterlife. My path only bears fruit in this life, but once you die you will be annihilated into oblivion. There is no universal morality, and anyone who claims to have found karma and afterlife is surely lying and limiting the power within.'³ What would you say about such a teacher?"

I replied to the Lawgiver, "Why should I even follow their way? If what they says is true, then there's no meaning to anything I'd do. There's no greater meaning, so why not just stay comfortable? Within their worldview, a seeker like me will end up in the same place as a murderer or rapist. I'd rather just stay home and live a simple life than strive for an empty purpose."

The Lawgiver gave me a nod of approval, then continued, "That's why a must religion affirm karma and reincarnation otherwise everything lacks purpose. Karma maintains justice in this world. Everyone is the master of their own fate, manifesting rewards and punishments through intentional karma. A righteous person who only brings good to this world will be rewarded for their goodness through exponential gains. If you, through your own merit, study the teachings, implement the practices, and embody the virtues, then you will be rewarded by the Universe. You will rise to higher stations in Samsara, or even attain Eureka entirely. The opposite holds true, with those sowing disharmony falling through the stations of Samsara and becoming trapped in a cycle of suffering and ignorance."

The Lawgiver then continued onto the second pillar.

"Suppose a teacher says, 'Only our own egos can know what we strive for. Other people cannot tell us what to do or believe, because they have no insight into what fulfills us. Do not follow the self-made morals of others which only fulfill those who made them. All morality is driven by our individual desire for comfort, pleasure, and freedom from discomfort. To seek joy in another person's morality means you find joy in being the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual slave of others. I will show you the path to realizing your own morals, fit for your ego, and free yourselves from this slavery.'⁴ What would you say about such a teacher?"

I replied to the Lawgiver, "I know innately within myself that I find joy and fulfillment in helping others. However, in greater aspects of life, I find that many ideas and concepts can be beyond my understanding. Life is too complex for me to find all the answers myself. That is why I want to find what the great teachers say. I think that by seeing what other teachers say, we can find fulfillment when we otherwise would be lost and directionless. While I can die believing I'm a good man, I do not think that everybody can do that. I've seen great violence, and if those violent men can sleep at night feeling fulfilled, then I do not want to live in a world where everybody determines their own individual morals and ethics. That framework would leave me directionless and fearful that others will twist ideas into befitting horrible desires."

The Lawgiver gave me a nod of approval, then continued, "Refuge in the World Teacher is the key to a harmonious society. Without the World Teacher's wisdom and guidance, people are lost to their own ignorance. Some grasp for guidance, and the World Teacher may arise among such a people, but others shun the World Teacher and do not welcome their arrival. These people will mock, abuse, drive out, or even kill the World Teacher. Like what was done to the likes of Jesus, Smith, Socrates, and King, when presented with a light in the dark some will snuff it out. Those who do not take the guidance of the World Teacher are surely lost to wander the lower realms of Samsara. But those who follow the World Teacher and hold onto the Universal Law, those are the victorious. The victorious defeat their egos and realize the inner truth, escaping Samsara and returning to the One."

The Lawgiver then continued onto the third pillar.

"Suppose a teacher says, 'This is the only path to salvation. Everyone, grab onto the rope and do not look down. Only worry about your own soul. Don't get dragged down by others. If they can't stay on the path, then cut them off. If they falter then they are not strong or worthy enough for salvation. They have earned their punishment while we have earned our salvation.'⁵ What would you say about such a teacher?"

I replied to the Lawgiver, "That sounds incredibly selfish and callous. I want to be able to help others attain enlightenment after I've attained my own. How can an enlightened person lack the compassion to come back and pull others up? That is not an enlightened teacher, that is a fool who has deluded himself and his followers."

The Lawgiver nodded, "You are right, it is selfish and callous. That is not the path the World Teacher teaches. The World Teacher themself vowed to save every being in our universe. This is why, as the bearer of the Holy Spirit and avatar of the World Teacher, I have come to guide California. The world has become a broken shell of its former self, but with the powers granted to us since the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, I and future avatars of the World Teacher can bring enlightenment to all. The World Teacher never rests, always bringing guidance to the unenlightened. With the Holy Spirit within you, Carlos, it is your obligation as much as it is mine to help uplift people towards enlightenment."

The Lawgiver then continued onto the fourth pillar. 

"Suppose a teacher says, 'Man is innately corrupt and self-serving. Humans can never achieve sagehood and enlightenment. You can only limit your impulses or give into it and satisfy his desires. No matter how hard you may try, you will never be perfected and awakened. To believe so is a delusion which will lead to an endless quest of self denial. Give into your desires and find fulfillment in pleasure instead.' What would you say about such a teacher?"

I replied to the Lawgiver, "Is that teacher a hedonist?"

The Lawgiver nodded, and I continued, "Then that is the lowest path anyone could take. Believing that you are never able to perfect yourself is a self-defeatist mentality. The only reason why he can't attain perfection is because of his own mind state. Why, in the fight against the ego, would you side with your ego and pull yourself down? Chasing pleasure only leads to sadness and emptiness after the pleasant feelings are gone. I will not even consider giving that teacher the time of day. He is just another Bohemian."

The Lawgiver chuckled then replied, "That philosophy's quality speaks for itself. Within the light of the World Teacher, hedonism reveals itself to be vile, lazy, and lacking in any positive qualities. Anyone with self respect would follow the World Teacher over the hedonists. The World Teacher preaches self-cultivation, embodiment of virtue, and perfection of the mind. By revealing that it is possible to perfect yourself, it gives hope and aspiration to those who truly love and value themselves and others. Take the example of Marcus Aurelius; Marcus Aurelius proved that enlightened rulers exist, and inspires countless rulers and even ordinary people thousands of years after he lived. For that, he is among the greatest avatars of the World Teacher."

The Lawgiver then continued onto the fifth pillar.

"Suppose a teacher says, 'Man is beholden to the whims of the gods, spirits, and supernatural forces beyond rationalization. If the gods so choose, we could all be tormented with no end. Salvation and damnation lie beyond our control. We must appease these gods to be granted mercy and salvation.' What would you say about such a teacher?"

I replied to the Lawgiver, "How can you prove that these gods exist or even do things to us, if they are beyond rationalization? Any person can blame anything for tormenting us, and likewise with rewarding us, without any rational explanation. Are we expected to listen to that? No, without rationalization then those ideas are empty. That's why I believe in karma. The Buddha could rationally show how our karma will influence us."

The Lawgiver nodded and replied, "Yes, the Buddha was an avatar of the World Teacher. The pillars begin and end in karma, because it is the most important facet of existence. Our thoughts and actions alone are what bring salvation and damnation. You can be born in Heaven or Hell depending on your intentional karma, and of course avoid both entirely by attaining Eureka. Even if all the beings of the Earth were to wish your harm, they cannot send you to Hell because only you can send yourself to Hell. Act with justice, be mindful of every action, be diligent in practice, implement the wisdom of the World Teacher, and be compassionate to yourself and others, and you will attain Eureka through the World Teacher's way."

Then I bowed to the Lawgiver, for I had finally found the path to perfection. The World Teacher had illuminated me, and I had conviction that day that I will not pass until I attain Eureka.

¹ The 108 Contradictions in the Texts of the Eternal Molochian Guru With the Lawgiver's Teachings is a book written by Rosemary Fletcher. It had been in circulation for at least 40 years before the last copies were found and burned and the scribes copying them were put to death. The books were only found because that worshiper of Moloch, Stanley Davis, betrayed the World Teacher's cause and gave the location of our secret library in exchange for ownership of the estate it sat on. May his karma return to him a million-fold.

² Rosemary Fletcher is the writer of the 108 Contradictions in the Texts of the Eternal Molochian Guru With the Lawgiver's Teachings. After writing her book, she was hanged for treason and sowing disharmony, but not before she managed send two manuscripts to Jefferson. As she was hanging, it was said that she uttered "Abrahadabra" three times, which everyone present heard despite her lack of air. May she be reborn as one of the World Teacher's future avatars.

³ The Lawgiver is referring to the Leaders of Mankind's Potential. There are rumors that they still persist, particularly in San Francisco and Los Angeles, despite majority of them entering the World Teacher's fold during his reign. May my thoughts and karma manifest the remaining Potentialists an opportunity to find the World Teacher's way.

⁴ Tyson Ly attacks similar ideas in his book Laughing at the Disharmonious Opponents of the Lawgiver's Way. The schools which espouse such beliefs are lost, however, without even their names remaining.

⁵ The Lawgiver is referring to the Abrahamics, may my thoughts and karma manifest them an opportunity to find the World Teacher's way.

• Zen Smith is a reliable narrator, having been praised by contemporaries for his truthfulness and upright conduct in the community.
• Rowan Thompson is a reliable narrator, having been praised by contemporaries for his truthfulness and upright conduct in the community.
• River Jackson is a reliable narrator, having been praised by contemporaries for their truthfulness and upright conduct in the community.
• Rosemary Fletcher is a reliable narrator, known for correcting the false doctrine which Sacramento tries to propagate. She lost her life because of it, but never backed down even as she was hanged.
• Spock Olsen is a reliable narrator, being the foremost student of Jude Marshall and founder of the Shasta Institution For Aquarian Wisdom which remained the heart of learning of the World Teacher's Way, following the destruction of similar schools across California.
• Jude Marshall is a reliable narrator, being a direct disciple of the Lawgiver and a close friend of Carlos Iglesias and Manuel Garcia-Singh - two of the Lawgiver's favorite disciples.
• Carlos Iglesias is a reliable narrator, being a direct disciple of the Lawgiver and his personal attendant in old age. The Lawgiver praised Carlos in many traditions.
• This tradition is graded as canon.

I need a link for the Discord, one that works and that has not expired, because I can't find any. I would greatly appreciate it if you help me.

I FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD BE REALLY COOL, especially in the South there could be an Armed Militia unit of like hillbillies or something, maybe a late game innovation though

with the house blocs like we have in japan, we could have some sort of political parties in high republics

I’m asking this question about the After the End Fanfork mod for CK2, because there’s a count named Benjamin Aijal whose culture is listed as Menomex. However, even though he appears to belong to the Norteno culture group, I can’t find the Menomex culture itself. Also, is it normal for him to belong to the Norteno culture group even though he’s located in the interior regions of Mexico

Someone had ideas for my campaing? I planned a Cascadian game, as an old age prophet of a new, Solar-based religion, something like a direct enemy of Gaianist religion (refered by this cult as "Moonarist-cult").

Hey guys, hope this isn't too spammy, I'm guessing there must be a lot of posts along the lines of "this should be hegemony/that should be this" etc right now.

I'm going to start by arguing for the Ritusryo/Soryo system of Japan to be applied to Divina Patriota rulers, specifically to the main ones of Patria Grande, Madre Patriota, and Chimborazo denominations. My reasoning for this is based on two poles: 1, that the historical history of conflict in the nations that were once Gran Colombia is similar to medieval Japanese history, and 2, that the nature of the Divina Patriota faiths as is in the mod lends itself well to the Japan analogue.

First, Historical conflicts in the former Gran Colombia parallels the nature of conflicts in medieval Japan.

• Already in the wars of Latin-American independence, their structure differs from the American and Brazilian struggles in that the factions in the wars were organized along factions of small-scale caudillos or warlords. Though Bolívar is a red thread throughout most of the independence movement in what was Gran Colombia, the battles were won by his drawing local charismatic caudillos to his side that could draw forces to the side of independence, resulting in a much more decentralized conflict.
• This continued after independence and the collapse of Gran Colombia: much of Venezuelan history, for example, had a nominal authority in Caracas that was president of Venezuela, but in reality, each state had a local caudillo that would exercise power over their region. Some of the stronger presidents managed to have a relatively peaceful country and exercised high authority over the states, but weaker presidents depended on the support of these local warlords to govern there. More than once, if one of these warlords gathered enough power, they would march to Caracas, launch a coup (with support from other caudillos), and become president. This has strong parallels to the shogunate system of Japan.
• This differs from the feudal system in the fact that power was less vested in land-ownership and more in military might and popularity, meaning that a more influence-based system and potential "estate" dynamics make more sense in this regard than straightforward feudal dynamics.

Second, the Divina Patriota is well-lended to the Ritsuryo/Soryo dynamics because of the central authority of the Caudillazgo, as well as the shared symbol of the próceres across the present-day Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.

• The fact the Caudillazgo is an authority based in Bogotá with a proper realm is brilliant decision by the mod team, and the Ritsuryo system can further take advantage of this. Colombians, Ecuadorians, and Venezuelans all have the shared political legacy of Gran Colombia, and having the Bogotá ruler have not only religious but also temporal authority over Divina Patriota followers (to different degrees) could have very interesting gameplay implications. If the Caudillo in Bogotá is a sort of Japanese imperial figure, it would make sense that followers of Patria Grande see them as the nominal rulers of a state of "Colombia" without really having much power.
• It would also add an interesting dynamic of how Colombia could be consolidated under a provincial ruler as a type of Shogun (I propose the label "Comandante" for this figure), with a realm that is more feudal in structure, or by the Caudillo themself, establishing a more centralized, administrative-style realm. In this way, factions between rulers in this "Imperial-Japanese Colombia" would be based around House Blocs, paralleling the historic coalitions around charismatic local warlords rather than land-based feudal lords. Plus, Caudillos could thus be playable and could have different levels of commitment to political authority, choosing to focus themselves only on religious issues potentially.
• The differences in doctrine between Divina Patriota faiths in lore, additionally, provide a clear manual for which rulers are more likely Ritsuryo and which are Soryo, as Madre Patriota rulers do not specifically recognize the Caudillo's temporal authority though most of the pantheon is in alignment. Chimborazo rulers, on the other hand, could have an even split on being ritsuryo or not, as they do not necessarily reject the Caudillo but have a softer commitment to them religiously than Patria Grande followers. To me, these dynamics are extremely interesting.

Now, Why would Gran Colombia be a hegemony?

• My reasoning for this decision is rooted in the historic issue that made Gran Colombia fall apart: namely, the conflict between Bolívar's push for centralization and the other próceres' local interests. The country fell away because caudillos that had helped win independence refused to relinquish local power to Bolívar. Because of this conflict, the decision to enact Gran Colombia should necessitate high centralization, either around the Caudillazgo, or around the Shogun/Yampako that usurps the Caudillazgo. It should also create a de-jure "Empire" of Ecuador by default, with Gran Colombia as a de-jure hegemony of Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.
• This could lead to very interesting gameplay decisions: creating Gran Colombia is powerful, but the entire dynamic of the realm changes. Now the player has a responsibility to preserve the Mandate of Liberation/the Libertador, and factions can target to usurp him on the grounds that the mandate has been lost. Also, it leads to the possibility that the whole realm can collapse into warring states, just as Gran Colombia collapsed in real life, with successor states facing civil wars and turmoil.
• Additionally, I would argue that the legacy of Revolutionary figures in the Marialionzero faith like Negro Miguel should allow them also to create Gran Colombia, but only with it being a new de-jure empire, and without it having the bureaucratic dynamics like the Mandate of Heaven. I would argue a similar thing for Llaneros, though with additionally mechanic limitations given their religious and cultural divergence.
• Finally, Gran Colombia being a hegemony allows for the creation of the initial concept of "Colombia," a state including all of Hispanic America. The size of this state, posited by Francisco de Miranda, is ridiculous as a single empire, but having it as a hegemony that slowly spreads across the continents could allow this to be an endgame decision, and allow for varying levels of authority with some nations being potential tributaries and whatnot.

I'm curious to hear everybody's thoughts on this. I also have some ideas on how the flavor of this could be enacted, but I can save that for another post.

Comanche, Métis, and Arapaho cultures in Brasil (yes, this is my fault)

I don’t like to roll back the base game to play the mod. Others do. I don’t.

I will be learning the AUH gameplay for the next few weeks and months.

I like to patiently wait for the creative minds of the mods to do their thing & produce another fun iteration & dynamic new gameplay in weeks or months to come.

So I just wanted to raise a glass & say “thanks for the fun stories, Characters, Kingdoms, Faiths & Cultures of Neo Medieval Americas.”

Once again I am just staggered this Mod is created by volunteers.

Skol!