10.3.1 VILLAGE INFLUENCE

Just as one person can influence individuals (see INFLUENCE), so too can cities and communes influence villages. In Lusternia, military conquest is of little value in a universe with vast magical currents. However, conquering the minds and hearts of others reaps huge benefits to the nexuses of power. In other words, influencing an entire village is converting the denizens of that village to the cause, way of thinking and spiritual inclinations of a nexus of power. Every Lusternian month, the power in the nexus will grow based on the number of denizens in that village (however, if denizens are killed during that month, the amount of power received will be reduced). Further, the village will tithe a percentage of their commodity production directly to the city or commune they have chosen to follow. 

For purposes of prestige, the city or commune with the highest cultural rating (called the "Cultural Center") is weighted politically as though it has another village influenced.

For a list of villages that can be influenced and whether they are under a city or commune's sphere of control, enter the command POLITICS. If a village is not under a sphere of control, it is considered to be "in-play". You can also review ongoing or upcoming conflicts with the CONFLICT command.

In order to influence a village, there are special influence skills which are gained solely by virtue of city or commune rank, and you can see them at the bottom of AB INFLUENCE. By successfully using these special influence skills upon denizens of a village, the village will slowly be swayed toward your nexus. Note that these special influence skills may only be used on denizens of villages that can be influenced and only when they are "in-play" (i.e., not influenced by a nexus). Also, if your organisation has a commercial government style, performing commodity quests for the village will slowly shift the opinion of its denizens towards your nexus. 

If more than one nexus is competing for a village (which is likely), the villagers will have a hard time deciding which nexus to follow and competition can become very fierce for that village. Outside of influencing or fighting, debating (AB INFLUENCE DEBATING) is a known method of dissuading and preventing others from influencing denizens as with a shattered ego the loser of the debate cannot influence for the next 10 minutes. Once a village is firmly under a city or commune's sphere of influence, it is considered loyal to that city or commune and the village influence skills can no longer be used upon its denizens.

How much power it generates and how much of its commodities it will tithe depends upon the governmental structure of the city or commune. To see the political structure of any particular city or commune, enter the command POLITICS <city/commune>.

When a village decides to leave the sphere of influence of a city or commune, all guards in that village will leave and all statues in that village will be destroyed.

The difficulty of influencing a village depends on now a particular village feels about a city or commune. Village feelings depend largely on a government's style.

Competitors:
  -Stewartsville and Delport are competitors in the rope trade.
  -Angkrag and Dairuchi are competitors in the silk trade.

Hostile:
  -Acknor and Estelbar are hostile to each other.
  -Southgard and Rockholm are hostile to each other.
  -Shanthmark and Paavik are hostile to each other.

Enemies
  -Southgard and Rockholm both refuse to be influenced by anyone who is a 
   a member of the city or commune that controls Angkrag.

For example, Stewartsville resists being influenced by a city that controls Delport (and vice versa), Acknor resists being influenced by a city that controls Estelbar (and vice versa), etc. Both dwarven villages are enemies of Angkrag, i.e., Rockholm will refuse being influenced by a city that controls Angkrag.

Peaceful Influencing
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At times, the villages themselves may cast the Eroee Ritual of Peace over their village, preventing all hostile actions while the village is in play. The likelihood of this happening is as follows:

  Always Peaceful: Delport, Estelbar, and Talthos.
  Always Combat:   Acknor and Angkrag.

All other villages will only cast this ritual when Eroee is conjunct or trine the Sun at the time the village goes into play.

NOTE: YOU CANNOT USE SPECIAL CITY/COMMUNE INFLUENCE ABILITIES WHERE YOU ARE AN ENEMY OF THAT VILLAGE.

See also GOVERNMENT.