Like the Holy Roman Empire, the Papacy has its own special place right on the Main Map, so you can quickly see what power or influence you might have with the Holy See. In this age of transition from the monolithic power of the Medieval Catholic Church to the Reformation and beyond, the Papacy still plays a potent role and cannot be ignored.
Every leader in the world knows that even the whims of the pope carry real weight. If you are Catholic, you will want to make use of this power – to bend the Holy Church to your own nefarious… err, that is to say… your own noble ends.
Now, the Active Cardinals are already committed. You cannot bribe your way into their hearts and win them to your cause. However, there are always a few CardinalsIn-Waiting. They are not yet part of the Curia, and on them you can spend your influence freely. If your favorites make the cut, you may win control over the Papacy and enjoy the many advantages that come with it. You might also enjoy the ability to call for Crusades against non-Catholics, and even Excommunicate your foes. New Cardinals are not chosen at random, however. Seniority Rules are in effect: the oldest Future Cardinal will get the first opening as an Active Cardinal.
Thus, positioning for the Papacy means not just gaining control of one potential Cardinal, but gaining control of enough of them to ensure your favorites make it to the Curia.
Bidding for these corrupt clerics requires beating the previous bid by 10, so if, as in the example shown here, you wanted to purchase the favor of de Vienne, you would need 18 influence to outbid The Papal States (who have 8 influence). You will need 11 influence to outbid Hungary, who have offered 1 for Pimentel, and you will need 10 influence to woo the other three. Note that this is only a hypothetical example, and you should expect to pay much more for an actual Cardinal.
Once you have purchased the favor of your chosen Cardinals-to-be, you must play the waiting game as the current crop of Cardinals slowly perishes, to be replaced by your hand-picked minions – or the minions of your enemies, if they are able to outbid you. But remember, the oldest living Cardinal-to-be is first on the list.…
