Advowsons and Endowments in Your Game

[SaxBasilisk]

It was only a matter of time before some PK in my game wanted to build a religious structure.

If I read Book of the Estate correctly (pp. 87-8), a small pagan temple requires an endowment of 5 Libra of land, which can be turned into an advowson. This, in turn, means that the player's overall income is reduced by 5 Libra, which must be made up from discretionary income, plunder, investments, or other sources.  The player may make this an advowson, giving them a Worldly check, the right to appoint a clergy member, and the right to sell it.

The Small Church is the same cost and benefit, but only has a 3 Libra endowment. What happens if you reduce the endowment to this level, or further?

 

 

[Morien]

I would not see a balance problem in fixing the Endowment to the same £3, to treat the small temple and the small church as equivalents.

While I don't know Greg's reasoning for those, the thinking might be that the christian churches benefit from the tithes, whilst the pagan temple does not. Of course, you could switch them out depending if they are in a predominately pagan or christian area.

[Darius West]

If the PK pays for more land to be donated, they can likely cut the yearly expense to zero, but keep all the privileges if the protection of the land remain the PK's duty.

[Morien]

12 hours ago, SaxBasilisk said:

This, in turn, means that the player's overall income is reduced by 5 Libra, which must be made up from discretionary income, plunder, investments, or other sources. 

Well if you want to be precise about it...

Your Assized Rents go down by £X (let's say £5, in this example), as those lands/rents go to the temple/church. However, your Servitium debitum (Army Expense) stays the same (your liege does not need to subsidize your generosity and piety). And it is this difference in the Army Expense that you need to cover from DF or other sources of income.

Example:
£50 Estate has SD of £27.5. (Assuming it is all demesne, as is usual.)
£5 advowson is made -> Estate becomes a £45 estate, but is still responsible for the SD of £27.5.
The SD of the current £45 estate is £24.75, so the difference is £2.75. The DF is £4.5, so the remaining DF is £4.5 - £2.75 = £1.75.
The other £2.25 is made up from the lowered Family (£5 -> £4.5) & Court Expenses (£12.5 -> £11.25), and DF (£5 -> £4.5).

You are right, though, that if the PK wishes to keep his Family & Court Expenses to the £50 estate level, too, then the burden shifts fully to the DF & other sources.

Edited May 10, 2022 by Morien