Make Scandinavia drift towards Christianity (and general related mechanics)

[CarolusRix]

Currently, Scandinavia, when starting from the 867 start date, very rarely drifts towards Christianity, nor feudalism as a result. The massive fervor of Asatru and lack of a mechanic which coerces unreformed pagan rulers to convert to a more influential faith is to blame. The influence/spread of great reformed faiths and their systems of government ends up being far too weak and the world does not evolve through time as it did in reality.

While a million different systems could be implemented to counter this, here are some of my own ideas which are both realistic and roleplay-friendly:
* assume these refer to pagan/unreformed rulers

• Rulers may receive random events to adopt the ways of greater/reformed faiths in lands they have conquered or raided
• Stewardship-oriented rulers may be able to convert to the reformed faiths of nearby economic powerhouses
• Diplomacy-oriented rulers may be able to convert when forming alliances with nearby reformed rulers is in their interest
• Martial-oriented rulers may be able to convert to the faith of lands they are raiding, the faiths of prisoners they take, and randomly when in battle (many historical references possible)
• Intrigue-oriented characters may be able to convert to the faiths of those they are trying to seduce or those who they fail to murder/kidnap etc
• Learning-oriented characters have plenty of options

Additionally, greater systems could be put in place:

• Unreformed/pagan provinces may drift towards the reformed faiths of nearby provinces or by random events
• Unreformed/pagan faiths experience a natural decay in fervor and experience greater consequences from it

I am sure many people have spoken on this topic before, but I just wanted to voice my thoughts and ideas on it. I think the turn of the Vikings to Christianity was a major missed opportunity of the Northern Lords DLC, but these issues exist across the world in CK3 and mechanics need to be put in place to address them systemically!

 

[Dracupuncture]

Not sure if you played ck2 or not but they implemented something like this where unreformed tribal rulers who border a reformed religion would request mass conversions for their realm.
i forget the specifics but i enjoyed the variety it added (it also didn't hurt that they wanted to convert to my reformed hellenic pantheon).

 

[Blk82]

It is hard to balance conversion, as some areas of the map remained pagan past the end date, such as Lappland, Siberia, the eastern Steppes, the forest zone of West Africa, and even much of the Sahel. Denmark shouldn't remain pagan forever, but at the same time, the unreformed pagan religions shouldn't disappear just because.

Maybe their should be a era before tribal, so that the Sami, forest West Africa, and Siberia aren't in the same tech age as Denmark, Ghana, and the steppes.

 

[CarolusRix]

It is hard to balance conversion, as some areas of the map remained pagan past the end date, such as Lappland, Siberia, the eastern Steppes, the forest zone of West Africa, and even much of the Sahel. Denmark shouldn't remain pagan forever, but at the same time, the unreformed pagan religions shouldn't disappear just because.

Maybe their should be a era before tribal, so that the Sami, forest West Africa, and Siberia aren't in the same tech age as Denmark, Ghana, and the steppes.

I agree, and we see this in the 1066 date as some pagans persist in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. I think this balance could be achieved by not all rulers simply converting the first chance they get and by rulers with minimum interaction with organized religions not having nearly as many chances or reasons to convert. And of course, even after a ruler converts, proselytizing their people will still take time!

 

[CarolusRix]

Not sure if you played ck2 or not but they implemented something like this where unreformed tribal rulers who border a reformed religion would request mass conversions for their realm.
i forget the specifics but i enjoyed the variety it added (it also didn't hurt that they wanted to convert to my reformed hellenic pantheon).

A mechanic like this would be nice! And holy wars having some impact on the land that is taken, what the people believe there etc rather than just doing holy wars for the sake of taking land.