Since I’ve gotten quite a few requests for making things related to Roman/Byzantine, I think I’ve got a couple ideas. Now, I don’t have as good of a grasp on Roman history/culture as I would like, so if anyone knows if I got something wrong, feel free to point it out. Also, this in a way can make it more dangerous to play in these areas if you don’t have a dlc that let’s you play as pagans (Holy fury or The Old Gods), so be warned about anything related to converting to Hellenism. I really like playing in this region, and the first idea can actually give Hellenism a chance (very low, but still a chance) to get a foothold without player intervention.
In general, these ideas will all apply to characters who meet the requirements of either living in the Byzantine or Roman Empire or having Roman Culture. Having Greek, Lombardy, or Italian culture will also apply if they are more educated (high learning) for a few of the events.
First is a way to either restore Roman culture and/or Hellenism. When a character gets this event they will get an option to convert to Roman culture, secretly convert to Hellenism (if liege is Hellenic, you will get a second event that let’s you do it publicly), both, or neither. I’m thinking of making it a simple check for characters during the weight pulse to check the above requirements and if they have either the hedonist trait, are a Neko, have the gluttonous trait and is very overweight or have one of the fetish traits. This event will be very rare at first, but the more characters that go through with it will increase the chances for other characters (also those that get the event and deny it will lower the global variable that is tracking this, making it appear less often). Temperate and Kitsune characters that don’t like weight gain will occasionally will get an event that lowers the global variable that handles how often the event appears as well. Italians, Greeks, and Lombardy’s who do not live in either empire will have a chance of this event if they have a high learning stat. Characters living in the Byzantine or Roman empire will not get the option to convert to Roman Culture, but the AI will be a little bit more likely to convert to Hellenism.
Characters with Roman culture, are publicly Hellenic, or live in the Byzantine/Roman empire will have access to a special feast type that provide fairly powerful opinion buffs from vassals if hosted. The drawback is that your vassals if they don’t have a lifestyle trait may become hedonists, which may be troublesome due to the event (culture switching will have a long term effect on your relationship with them, and covert Hellenic cults could have more dramatic long term consequences) I mentioned above and the fact that they get extra diplomacy and fertility. You and other hedonists are at risk of getting the gluttonous trait when hosting this feast.
For those with Holy Fury in the future I’ll probably make a Hellenic religious doctrine that is only available to them when reforming.