I've been thinking about the possibilities and potentials for cultural syncretism and making it more dynamic. One idea I have is that Cultures can have an innovation, or maybe even a different category altogether, for Cultural Syncretism with another culture group. This could be used to simulate the cultural influence of French culture in Europe (French being the language of Trade, Diplomacy and most of the Nobility), Arabic culture throughout much of the Islamic world (particularly in North Africa and Somalia) as well as Sicily, Slavic culture on Bulgarians and Romanians and Iranian culture on various Turkic people. It could also be used for related Culture Groups, i.e. different Slavic Cultures having Syncretism with the other Slavic Culture Croups as a default.
The main may that a culture would be able to acquire a Syncretic innovation is if their culture borders a culture in a different Culture Group or if their Culture Head rules over cultures in another Culture Group. In addition, they can also get it if they border a culture in the same Culture Group as them that has syncretic cultural influences from another group. I.e. Andalusian Culture can get Iberian Syncretism due to bordering Iberian cultures and Bavarians can get Frankish Syncretism if the Franconians have it.
In terms of mechanical impacts it cultures with a Syncretism could regard that Culture Croup as though they were a part of it, it could be a prerequisite for certain Innovations and/or grant a bonus to absorbing Innovations from cultures in that group and it could grant a bonus to Culture Conversions against Cultures in those groups. Syncretism could also be a prerequisite for certain culture splits and melting pots, such as the formation of English requiring either Anglo-Saxons to have Frankish Syncretism or Normans to have West Germanic Syncretism or Bulgarian requiring Bolghars to have South Slavic Syncretism. For practicality there might be a limit to how many cultures you can syncretise with at a time, or it might be left open with an Achievement for syncretising with every Culture Group. Culture Heads could also attempt to remove Cultural Syncretisms and revive older cultural practices, mirroring the Shu'ubiyya and Persianisation policies under the Samanid and Buyid dynasties that sought to revive Iranian culture in the face of Arabisation, which could grant certain boosts to prestige, relations with others in their Culture and Culture Group and resistance to Cultural Conversion.
This sort of system would help model the dynamic interplay f cultures over the course of the Middle Ages.
Some default Cultures with Syncretisms I would suggest:
The main may that a culture would be able to acquire a Syncretic innovation is if their culture borders a culture in a different Culture Group or if their Culture Head rules over cultures in another Culture Group. In addition, they can also get it if they border a culture in the same Culture Group as them that has syncretic cultural influences from another group. I.e. Andalusian Culture can get Iberian Syncretism due to bordering Iberian cultures and Bavarians can get Frankish Syncretism if the Franconians have it.
In terms of mechanical impacts it cultures with a Syncretism could regard that Culture Croup as though they were a part of it, it could be a prerequisite for certain Innovations and/or grant a bonus to absorbing Innovations from cultures in that group and it could grant a bonus to Culture Conversions against Cultures in those groups. Syncretism could also be a prerequisite for certain culture splits and melting pots, such as the formation of English requiring either Anglo-Saxons to have Frankish Syncretism or Normans to have West Germanic Syncretism or Bulgarian requiring Bolghars to have South Slavic Syncretism. For practicality there might be a limit to how many cultures you can syncretise with at a time, or it might be left open with an Achievement for syncretising with every Culture Group. Culture Heads could also attempt to remove Cultural Syncretisms and revive older cultural practices, mirroring the Shu'ubiyya and Persianisation policies under the Samanid and Buyid dynasties that sought to revive Iranian culture in the face of Arabisation, which could grant certain boosts to prestige, relations with others in their Culture and Culture Group and resistance to Cultural Conversion.
This sort of system would help model the dynamic interplay f cultures over the course of the Middle Ages.
Some default Cultures with Syncretisms I would suggest:
- Anglo-Saxon starts with North Germanic Syncretism in 1066.
- Sephardi have Arabic Syncretism.
- Ashkenazi have Central Germanic and/or Frankish Syncretism.
- Sicilian has Arabic Syncretism.
- Bulgarian has Greek Syncretism in 1066.
- Welsh has West Germanic Syncretism.
- Breton has Frankish Syncretism.
- Outremer has Arabic Syncretism.
- Assyrian has Arabic Syncretism.
- Alan has Iranian Syncretism.
- Avar has South Slavic Syncretism.
- Oghuz has Iranian Syncretism in 1066, or is working towards it.
- Khitan and maybe Mongol should have Chinese Syncretism in 1066.
- Scots have Goidelic Syncretism.
- Khazar has Israelite Syncretism.
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