25.1 Attending Church
Attending church is a weekly action. There are multiple churches throughout Paris, but if players fail to mention one by name, it will be assumed that they attend the Church ministered to by the highest ranking PC Priest. If two PC Priests have the same rank then the Church ministered to by the one with the highest SL will be attended. If there are no PC Priests then PCs will attend the Cathedral de Notre-Dame.
Characters gain 1 SP for attending Church, the cost for attending being (SL divided by 2, rounded up) livres in donations. For one Church attendence each month characters can double their donation and gain an extra SP for conspicuous piety.
Paramours can be taken to church, their donations being covered by their suitors. This will count as Female Companionship for the month. Married PCs can pay the cost of the their wives being conspicuously pius to gain an extra SP towards increasing their wife's SL. If the officiating priest gives a sermon, all those attending (including wives) can 'toady' to him, gaining SPs equal to half the difference in their respective SLs if the Priest's SL is higher. No SPs are lost if the Priest is of a lower SL than the worshipper. Priests gain 1 SP for each worshipper attending a sermon whose SL is greater than or equal to their own, but do not lose SPs for giving sermons to lower SL characters.
25.2 Careers in the Church
A character of SL 3+ may choose to start the game as a Priest. A player who wishes to run a Priest character but who gets a character of SL2 or less can request a replacement character. Standard characters who get drawn to the religious life can retire to a monastery (and from the game) to pass their remaining years in spiritual contemplation.
25.3 Privileges of the Clergy
Priests do not require FC and are above Provincial Rivalries, never being compelled to issue or accept challenges on this account.
Priests may only serve in regiments as Regimental Chaplains - See below.
Priests do not have to pay support or provide themselves with a suitable residence. The Church will provide them with a residence suitable for someone with the minimum SL required for their Church rank and pay the upkeep costs. The Priest gains the SPs as though owning the house. The Priest may purchase a larger house suitable for his SL should he so wish, in which case he loses the Church house.
They do not have to carouse at a club or party (though they will not receive the 1 SP for carousing if they do not).
Priests may reject any duel without loss of status unless they have already fought a duel while a member of the cloth.
Priests may act as confessors to other characters. Every character may nominate a Priest character as his confessor (though not himself). Priests gain 0.5 SPs for every player character who nominates him as their confessor (rounded down). Characters may change confessors at any time.
Priests can renounce the cloth at any time in the game. They lose 1 social level plus all clerical privileges and continue their careers as standard characters.
Bishops and above may excommunicate characters 4 or more social levels below them once per year. Only Cardinals can excommunicate Nobles. Excommunicated characters are shunned and lose SPs equal to their social level every month. They are not welcome in church and cannot attend until their excommunication is lifted. A higher-ranking clergyman may revoke excommunication but excommunication by a Cardinal may only be revoked by the Pope himself. Excommunicated Priests lose all clerical privileges and all relevant clerical appointments. If the excommunication is lifted then they may re-start their clerical career at one rank lower than they were before being excommunicated.
Bishops and above may attend Court. The Cardinal of France and those holding government appointments must attend Government Meetings and Major and Royal Envoys. Archbishops must attend Royal Envoys or they risk losing 2 x the SPs from their clerical rank that month.
NPC priests may be influenced, the required amount of influence is equal to the rank of the priest. They can be influenced to retire, discipline, excommunicate, lift excommunication etc. Influence requires a roll of 7+ to be successful.
The Pope requires class 9 favours to be influenced.
Bishops and above may apply for any Government post except Préfect de Police, Minister of War and Minister of State.
25.3.1 Responsibilities
Priests may be disciplined by their immediate superior (see table) for any of the below:
- Conspicuous consumption (though not conspicuous piety),
- Gambling,
- Carousing,
- Forming a relationship with a mistress,
- Handling a weapon other than for practice (or when duelling as a Regimental Chaplain).
- Failing to discipline their underlings,
- Conducting a Clandestine Marriage (counts as 2 sins)
Any Bishop can discipline anyone of Canon or below who is brought to their notice. An assembly of three Cardinals, chosen by the Papal Envoy deals with Bishops and Archbishops. Cardinals are accountable to the Pope.
NPC Clergy will often turn a blind eye to their subordinate’s sins. An Abbé will intervene on 9+, a Canon on 8+ and bishop will intervene and order punishment on a roll of 7+, with +1 for each sin committed by a priest on each occasion that month.
Punishments for religious crimes are typically as follows:
A Bishop or above serving as Minister of Finance is still subject to the Minister of Justice regards any embezzlement activities.
All Churchmen are expected to be loyal to the Crown and can be charged with Treason by the Préfect de Police and tried for this before the Minister of State.
25.4 Clerical Ranks and Promotion
All Clerical PCs begin as Priests, the lowest rank of the clergy. They must perform 2 weeks of duty per month by officiating at Church services (same SPs as in visiting Church) and may give a sermon on each occasion in addition to merely performing services. An NPC Canon will excuse a PC Priest from a week’s duty on a roll of 5+.
Priests are assumed to be attached to one of the many smaller churches littering Paris unless they decide to serve as Regimental Chaplains, in which case they will give occasional sermons at the Army Chapel in the Temple complex.
Sermons are also a method of gaining status and the subject of the sermon should be detailed in a player's orders. When a PC priest delivers a sermon (which is a weekly activity in itself if not done in conjunction with a week of duty) each PC present “toadies” to the priest. There are a couple of differences between regular and sermon toadying however:
Characters do not carouse and no negative SP effects occur due to SL differences between the PC priest and PC members of his congregation. A priest will get 1 SP for each attendee of equal or higher SL. Priests may also either praise or criticise one other PC in their sermons. The PC in question will gain or lose a number of SP equal to the clergyman’s rank (number) that month. The clergyman PC must detail his denunciation or praise in his orders. A PC clergyman can only praise or denounce the same individual once per season.
Priests may also deliver sermons if engaged to officiate at weddings or funerals. In this way, PCs attending such services can “toady” the priest in the course of them.
The officiating priest may choose to praise or criticise in the course of the sermon. If the priest chooses to cast aspersions regarding the manner of a Principal's death, those held responsible will suffer an SP loss. If a priest criticises the groom (or bride!) at a wedding service, the marriage will not take place, and the groom must make a successful courting roll to retain his fiancée. The priest must have a good reason (or a lot of influence) for doing this, as there will be an enquiry during the next month by his superior. If he is found not to have a good enough reason for his criticism the priest will be defrocked and the groom will have cause to duel him.
Weddings are followed by a wedding reception at the groom's salon (or residence) and funerals are often followed by a wake hosted by one of the deceased's friends at his salon. In these circumstances the Church Service (and Sermon) is run as a quick action in conjunction with the above and does not require the usual week's activity.
The following table details who can officiate at such services based on the SL of the groom or the deceased:
If no PC is selected then a random NPC priest within the relevant bracket will be chosen.
25.4.1 Regimental Chaplains
A regimental chaplain (RC) (title: Padre) has responsibilities directly to the members of the regiment he serves with. Regimental chaplains must accompany their regiment to the frontier, and make death rolls as the regimental Colonel. They do not make Promotion rolls, but can gain MiDs and loot, from tithes of spoils to the Church from the Regiment’s soldiers to gain blessings for their good fortune. At the start of any battle, the RC will, by improving the morale of the men he serves with, increase the MA of the commander by 1 point. In the event that the RC dies during a battle, all other members of the regiment will suffer a blow to their morale and suffer a -1 to the BR.
RC’s are paid by the regiment they serve with as a captain. They must have a minimum SL equal to a Captain and must roll to join the regiment as a weekly action. RCs will also receive SPs as per their regimental affiliation as a captain. These replace the pay and 2SPs per month he would received as a Priest. The regiment pays for the Chaplain's support and provides a suitable residence in or near regimental barracks since his flock is the regiment. An RC will not have a church to preach in but will use the Army Chapel at the Temple complex for this purpose when in Paris.
RCs must perform priestly duties in the form of a sermon 1 week out of every month they are in Paris. Failure to do so will have them cast out of their RC role. They are not required to perform a second week of church duties.
RCs can decide in their standing orders whether or not they will feel bound to duel the regimental enemies of their regiment. If they choose not to, they will not duel but will suffer an SP loss of 1 for each challenge they refuse.
Only priests (rank 1) may serve as RC’s. To be promoted within the church hierarchy, priests must leave their regiment behind.
A Regimental Chaplain may volunteer for the front. If no request is made, he will be attached to a random frontier regiment.
25.4.2 Clerical Promotions
Once a character has been a priest for at least 3 months, he may apply to be promoted to the rank of Curate if his SL will support this.
Curates must perform 1 week of duty per month which again may be combined with attending church/delivering a sermon. An NPC Canon will excuse a PC Curate from his week of duty on a roll of 4+. After serving as a Curate for a minimum of 3 months, a character may apply to be promoted to an Abbé.
Higher ranks work in the same way. Once a clergyman has served in his current rank for a minimum of 3 months he may, if there is room in the rank above his, apply to be promoted. An NPC clergyman who is an obstacle to a PCs progress will resign and create a space on 7+ (influenceable as per his church rank).
Abbés are given responsibility for a rural parish in the Isle de France, in addition to their Parisian responsibilities, and are given the use of a small estate in the Isle de France from which to administer it. Archdeacon's and above are given the use of estates (and their revenues) in the provinces in which their new responsibilities will take place. These estates belong to the Church, so cannot be sold or mortgaged and are not cumulative.
24.4.3 Promotion Above Abbé
Canons initially perform canonical duties at Notre Dame whilst continuing to hold services at their previous church. They may only achieve the rank of Archdeacon if a suitable position at one of the seven Cathedrals below is vacant (or becomes so thanks to an incumbent being promoted or persuaded to resign). It is only when securing the full rank that the SPs and Estates are bestowed and, until it is, the character continues with his previous duties and rank benefits. Bishops and Archbishops are treated similarly, maintaining their previous duties until an appropriate opening presents itself.
The house and estate of an Archdeacon or above are located in or around the Cathedral City to which he is appointed. They must buy or rent a suitable accommodation from their own resources when in Paris.
Archdeacons, Bishops and Archbishops must spend at least one week each season in the Cathedral City of their province. Otherwise they lose their position and revert to Abbé. Archdeacons will be excused a maximum of one season's duty per year by their (Arch)Bishop on 6+ (5+ if the reason for absence is to go on a mission). If the Archdeacon is excused, the (Arch)Bishop must spend an extra week in his Cathedral City that season in his place.
(Arch)Bishops can impose on their Archdeacons to cover for them for a maximum of one season per year. In this case the Archdeacon must spend an extra week in his Cathedral City that season in his superior's place.
Paris is the Cathedral City of the Isle de France, of course.
The Archdeacon and Archbishop of Paris automatically hold the appointments attached to the positions for as long they hold the position - see Appointments below.
24.4.4 Promotion to Cardinal
After serving as a Bishop or Archbishop for at least three months a character with the sufficient Social Level can petition the Pope for promotion to Cardinal in the same way as previous promotions have been secured. (Bishops can 'leapfrog' the Archbishop rank). France is allowed only 6 Cardinals, however, and promotion to Cardinal cannot be attempted unless there is a vacancy. The Pope can be petitioned to call one of the existing Cardinals to the See of Rome in order to create a vacancy. (Cardinal Richelieu can never be called to Rome however).
Cardinals each receive a Marquis' estate around the Papal Enclave at Avignon (Provence) but may arrange accommodation in Paris at their own expense. Each is given responsibility for overseeing Church affairs in one of the six provinces. (Cardinal Richelieu is responsible for Church affairs in the Isle de France).
Cardinals are expected to spend at least one week every season at Avignon, overseeing Papal affairs. The Papal Envoy and Royal Confessors are exempt from such duties, however, as are those going on missions and The Pope will relieve other Cardinals of this obligation on 3+ (up to four times each year). (Cardinal Richelieu can avoid these obligations at will).
24.5 Church Appointments
Churchmen may seek appointments appropriate to their Church Rank and SL. The Canon of Paris is automatically given the Canon of Notre Dame Cathedral appointment, and the Archbishop of Paris is automatically given the appointment of Archbishop of Notre Dame Cathedral.
24.5.1 Church Appointments Table
* Both min SL and SP gain are equal to the noble/church rank of the Principal (Which must be higher than the Church Rank of the character seeking appointment).
Or Church Rank if higher. (It is not possible to become Secretary to the Pope).
+ all Clergyman ranks with a + symbol before them denote the minimum rank allowable for this position. The rank is absolute for those appointments without the + symbol.
The relevant rank must be held upon being appointed, and the appointment is lost as soon as the appointee no longer holds that rank.
24.5.2 Appointment Explanations
Secretary to Nobleman
Assistant to a Titled PC, often reading and writing documents for him. Secretaries must accompany their patron when he leaves Paris unless the reason for leaving is to go on campaign (where the Patron's military Aide will handle his correspondence).
Inquisitor
Roots out blasphemers, heretics and witches. The Inquisitor may arrest any character for blasphemy, heresy or witchcraft, and they must then be tried. The Cardinal Bishop judges these cases. If there is no PC Cardinal Bishop, then these cases are tried before the Cardinal of France (Cardinal Richelieu) as per the following table:
The Inquisitor employs no ferrets (but may call upon those employed by Cardinal Richelieu / the Captain of the Cardinal's Escort) and makes arrests as does the Prefect of Police with a maximum of 5 per year. He must trump up charges and successfully prosecute one player character in the first six months of his appointment or he loses the post. He can launch 5 prosecutions per year, witnesses and other rules are as per the Prefect of Police. As with other trials an appeal can be made, but to the Pope, who will commute a sentence to the one below on the roll on 7+. Half of the property confiscated goes to the Inquisitor (though half his share may go to a Ferret - see below) with the other half going to the Church.
Confessor
Hears confessions and delivers benedictions to members of the Royal family. Confessors must accompany the Court wherever it goes.
Papal Envoy
The Papal Envoy is the Pope’s ambassador to the Court of King Louis. The Papal Envoy may be dismissed by the King at any time (influencable), and is responsible for seeing that the Pope’s interests in France are maintained.
The Papal Envoy must go wherever Court goes.
The Papal envoy makes recommendations on the suitability of bishops and archbishops to the Pope. For each appointment, the Papal envoy may give a +3 or -3 modifier to the Pope’s acceptance roll. He may add the same modifiers when the The Pope is petitioned to call one of the existing Cardinals to the See of Rome in order to create a vacancy.
Once per year, the Papal Envoy may recommend a new Cardinal to the Pope, and that character gains +3 to his die roll.
Cardinal Bishop
The Cardinal Bishop is appointed as Bishop to one of the seven sees near Rome (Cardinal Bishops are the highest ranking cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church). He is given a Ducal Estate near Avignon and judges all cases brought by the Inquisitor. (Until a Cardinal Bishop is appointed, Cardinal Richelieu judges these cases).
25.6 Missions
Clergymen may go on missions to do penance for sins, or to preach Christianity in the rest of the world. Missionary work can bring rewards both for a priest’s career and his purse, as well as making him a notable figure in Paris. If a priest is disgraced for any reason (including non-payment of debts) he must go on a mission until his disgrace is redeemed.
Priests going on missions must give up any appointments for the duration and suggest that their flocks make alternative arrangements regards confession. They retain their clerical ranks but Archdeacons, Bishops and Archbishops going on missions become Probationaries once more.
When going on a mission, a priest must select one of the destinations below. Each has chances for Death, Mentions in Dispatches (to the Pope, of course), Promotion and Financial Reward.
The priest's clerical rank is used as a DM to the required death roll.
The priest must stay on his mission for at least the number of months given under Minimum Time.
Rolls for Death, MiD and Loot are made each month except the first. Poltroonery and reckless bravery may be applied as on campaign. Clergy who fall into disgrace by being caught poltrooning must remain on the mission until they receive a MiD. They may not apply for any promotions until they redeem themselves. Clergymen who lose their rank as a result of being seen poltrooning are demoted to the rank of Priest.
Promotion is rolled for at the end of the mission. Half of all loot must be donated to the Church.
Clergymen do not gain a title attempt for MiDs gained on missions.