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1

Roleplaying / Colonies East Coast League 2018

« on: January 13, 2018, 07:56:12 PM »

This is a thread dedicated to the "match reports" for the Outer Tilog versus Halcyon & Allies war in the Colonies.

Things were kicked off by Aoifa Dubhaine. And from there they've kinda spiralled...

Halcyon 1 - Outer Tilog 0

The East Coast season has kicked off with a surprise upset by newcomers Halcyon as they defeat current champions Outer Tilog in the Bode Batura Uncharitable Derby.

Come on OT, putting on a first innings funk is all well and good for getting the suckers to lengthen your odds, but us aficionados want to see your star bowlers in action.

GARM!!! GARM!!! GARM!!! GARM!!!
Aoifa Dubhaine
Margravine of Dark Citadel
Aspirant of Colonial Senate

---

Report from Grimwald Sussex   (4 days, 4 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Outer Tilog
Scribe Note

Well the second Battle of Naan Forest kicked off with a good strong infantry opening from the away side as Alowca, Oritolon and Halcyon put their soldiers out in front. Unfortunately their rear left much to be desired - although rather round and plump it was sadly strung out with the horses to the rear.

The defending Outer Tilogian United kicked off with a strong infantry defence with archers behind. A few plucky local peasants also joined in on the Tilogian side - the locals are always keen for any excuse to loot the bodies of the dying and dead here in Naan Forest!

The OT soldiers charged towards the charging away team and both sides met in the middle. The away side had more men in the scrum, including some on horses, which led to the OT team getting mauled a bit and some of the peasants running off, but in terms of points OT came out ahead.

The away team managed to put down Grant "Pucker up" Puckett, Baron of Volkanita but some excellent fouls by OT saw them take down Eliza Vermiculus, Dame of Alebad, and Ash "Ketchup" Ketchum, Grand Justiciar of Oritolon, was fouled repeatedly by angry peasants.

With most of the OT infantry out the way the away team advanced on the OT archers who proceeded to turn them into porcupines with arrows. Ash Ketchum got shot in the face, fouling him again, Lady Cassandra "Foxy Lady" Foxglove, Warlord of Aren, Dame of Alowca, was fouled by the peasants before they were wiped out, Isidro de Zueww, Knight of Maira Merani, was fouled by some drunk satyrs, and Rolf Cruscavas, Knight of Iglavik,was chewed by some wargs.

With most of the away team infantry dead or fled, OT continued to pepper the visiting team with arrows.  Johannes Von Lunkhofen, Viscount of Rollsovar, was fouled by some maidens, Ash "Ketchup" Ketchum was seriously fouled yet AGAIN by some urchins (letting them collect the bounty on his head) and Lady Cassandra "Foxy Lady" Foxglove, Warlord of Aren, was fouled again by the home team.

OT United didn't get it all their own way though, Vladamire Abjur, Minister of Offense of Outer Tilog also got fouled by some of the away team archers.

The match was almost over now, with OT well ahead on fouls and in terms of men left alive on the field, but they still had time to foul Pippa "Porcupine" Anderbliss, Queen and General of Oritolon, and Javic Essenhorn, Lawgiver of Aren, with arrows before the away team all ran away and the home side claimed victory.

The final score saw OT United ahead on 8 fouls to 2.

The rematch is scheduled to take place soon and the man of the match goes to Baron Tobias "Murderous" Mersault and his band of urchins for their bone crunching final foul to the pimple nosed Ash "Ketchup" Ketchum, the Grand Juicer of Oritolon (or something like that).
Grimwald Sussex
Viscount of Nidalery
Marshal of the Band of Ghouls, Fiends and Abominations

---

Letter from Grimwald Sussex   (4 days, 1 hour ago)
Message sent to everyone in "Colonial Senate" (39 recipients)
Margravine Aoifa,

In case you're keeping score, these are the results so far:

PRE-SEASON

Maira Merani Warm-Up: Outer Tilog United 1 - 0 Halcyon. Outer Tilog Victory!

EAST COAST LEAGUE

Bode Batura Uncharitable Derby: Outer Tilog United 4 - 5 Halcyon. Halcyon Victory!
Vir el Mari Heights Skirmish: Outer Tilog United ? - ? Halcyon. Halcyon Victory!
Naan Forest Grudge Match: Outer Tilog United ? - ? Halcyon. Halcyon Victory!
Nasty Naan Forest Skirmish One: Outer Tilog United ? - ? Halcyon International. Outer Tilog United Victory!   
Nasty Naan Forest Skirmish Two: Outer Tilog United ? - ? Halcyon International. Outer Tilog United Victory! 
Naan Forest Grandslam Round One: Outer Tilog United 2 - 0 Halcyon International. Outer Tilog United Victory! (5 Bonus Points to OTU)
Naan Forest Grandslam Round Two: Outer Tilog Fouls 7 - 3 Halcyon International. Outer Tilog United Victory!

Total Score: Outer Tilog United 64 - 48 Halcyon International
Battle Victories: Outer Tilog United 2 - 2 Halcyon International

Point Scoring Rules:

10 points for each battle victory, 3 points for each skirmish victory, 1 point for each foul inflicted, 5 bonus points for each opposition player killed.

No points for fouls will be awarded unless a battle report is submitted to Chief Umpire Grimwald Sussex (OTU Team Captain)

Grimwald Sussex
Viscount of Nidalery
Marshal of the Band of Ghouls, Fiends and Abominations
Aspirant of Colonial Senate

2

BM General Discussion / Population of the continents and Battlemasterra

« on: December 22, 2017, 04:10:28 PM »

So about a month ago I got curious, gathered up the region data from each continent I played on, and did some number crunching so I could work out what the total human population of each continent was. 

Here's what I found:

East Continent

Population: ~1.6 million
Realms: 13
Cities: 24
Largest city population: 95,000 (Ibladesh)
Area: 374,867 sq. miles

Summary: This is roughly equivalent to the population of England and Wales circa 1000 AD. By contrast, however, England and Wales only had two realms at 1000 AD and even back in 700 AD only had about 11 realms. And the largest city in England and Wales at 1000 AD was London which only had a population of 10,000 people (which made it very large) and there were only about 10 cities in the entire country and which, excluding London, had populations ranging from 3,000 to 6,000 people.

However, the total land area of England and Wales is only around 58,000 square miles while the East Continent is only barely smaller than the size of France, Germany and Ireland all combined.

Colonies

Population: ~400,000
Realms: 9
Cities: 8
Largest city population: 30,000 (Oritiolon)
Area:  570,601 sq. miles

Summary: By contrast, the population of Ireland was about 600,000 at around 1000 AD and there were 9 realms on the island. But even by 1300 AD the population of Dublin was only about 11,000 in 1300 AD. But the total land area of the island of Ireland is just 32,595 square miles while the total land area of the colonies is larger than France, Spain, Portugal and Italy all combined!

Dwilight

Population: ~2.6 million
Realms: 12
Cities: 37
Largest city population: 90,000 (Giask)
Area: 596,312 sq. miles

Summary: Many of the cities of Dwilight are depopulated which means its total potential population is probably somewhere between 3 to 4 million people. That would be roughly equivalent to the population of England and Wales at the medieval peak of 1300 AD. However, Dwilight is only slightly larger in square mileage than the Colonies (I know, right???) meaning that Dwilight is larger than France, Spain, Portugal, Italy AND Ireland all combined! By contrast, the combined population of those countries was over 33 million in 1300 AD.

Beluaterra

Population: ~1.4 million
Realms: 11
Cities: 26
Largest city population: 52,500 (Wudenkin)
Area: 449,187 sq. miles

Summary: The population of Beluaterra is about the same as the population of Denmark, Sweden and Norway at around 1300 AD. However, Beluaterra is roughly the same size as France, Germany, Austria, Czechkia, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg all combined.

***

Conclusions:

The populations and sizes of the continents bear no relation to each other whatsoever. Also, utterly bizarrely, the Colonies are larger than either Beluaterra or the East Continent. Battlemaster, based on continent size, should have a population of well over 100 million but actually only has a population of about 6 million.

On the other hand, if you ignore continent size then a lot of other things are more reasonable. The East Continent is about the size of England and Wales at the end of the Anglo-Saxon era and is fragmented to about as many political entities as England and Wales were around 700 AD. So by that standard, army sizes and noble numbers make sense for the population - 2,000 soldiers counts as a large army and a decent sized realm will have maybe 20 to 30 nobles in it, corresponding to the number of powerful nobles you'd find in a typical Anglo-Saxon kingdom.

But what doesn't make sense given the population level is the number of cities or how large they are.

At the end of Anglo-Saxon era, Winchester, the capital of Wessex, had a population of about 6,000 people and the largest city in Great Britain (London) had a population of only about 10,000 people - which is about the same as the smallest city on the East Continent.

None of this means that much of course, and shouldn't make any difference to how we play the game, but hopefully you'll all find these facts and figures as interesting as I did when I put them together

3

Development / Estate Improvements

« on: December 19, 2017, 12:55:35 PM »

At the moment you can use your personal estate to build monuments and memorials and not much else. But it's quite clear that there was always an intention to allow knights to do other things with their estates.

So I've been having a think and I'd like some feedback on whether these would make sense as things which nobles should be able to build on their estates. The idea is that each one should have an affordable but significant cost (for a knight), but then give the holder of that estate access to certain bonuses whenever they're in the region.

• Smithy - Get the blacksmith to repair 5% of equipment damage for free (can only be used once per week)
• Chapel - Hold prayers at the chapel to restore unit morale to 100% for free (takes a large number of hours)
• Training Ground - Train your sword/jousting skill for free (equivalent to free training sessions with an advanced academy trainer)
• Hunting Chase (rural/woodland/mountain regions only) - Allows you to recruit one of your huntsmen as a scout (can only be used once per week)
• Craftsman (townsland/city/stronghold regions only) - Allows you to get them to make two free banners for your unit (can only be used once per week)
• Mill/Workshop - Gives your estate a randomly generated extra income of 10 to 20 gold per week
• Guardhouse - Daily cost of your unit is halved while you're in the same region as your estate due to being able to quarter your unit in it

So, as an example, a knight could decide to save up 100 gold to build a mill on their estate or 60 gold to build a training ground. They'd then get a long term perk from it, but equally it wouldn't be a perk significant enough that you couldn't live without it.

I'd envisage the improvements as being specific to the estate. When an estate is destroyed completely (e.g. given 0% land allocation) then the improvements are lost. And none of the perks from the improvements should be game balance altering.

This would also have the advantage of a) giving knights something to do, especially in peacetime, and b) giving nobles more of a reason to feel attached to their region. Changing your oath to another lord (or letting the region go rogue) would be something you'd have to care a lot more about if it meant leaving behind all the nice improvements you've spent time making to your estate. Also, it's likely to mean that players think more about their estate as an actual place rather than something under the politics tab which you forget about - once you know what improvements your estate has you're more likely to build up a mental image of it.

It'd also mean that knights would have to weigh up the pros and cons of making an improvement:

90 gold to build a guardhouse is quite extravagant in wartime if you're going to hardly ever visit your region, but it's probably a very wise investment if the realm's at peace and you're able to go sit in your region and save yourself some unit maintenance costs. Though if you're just going to be sitting in the region then maybe you should build a training ground too so you can practice your jousting. And oh, maybe you should suggest that the duke to host a tournament now that half the realm are hotshot jousters from spending so much time at their estates.

So that's the kind of thing I'm going for. Again, I don't think any of the perks should be game balance breaking and I think the cost of the improvements should have to be within reach for the average knight.

I'd be very interested to hear what people think. If people like the concept then I'll submit it as a feature request, but I'm sure there are other estate improvement ideas which people could come up with and I'm sure that the whole concept could use some tweaks before being submitted.

4

Roleplaying / Make way for Prince Asher!

« on: December 09, 2017, 09:34:08 PM »

Roleplay from Alfhelm Sussex   (just sent)
message to all nobles of Highmarch
As Prince Asher and his entourage arrived in Highmarch an enterprising bard had already composed a song to mark the occasion and proceeded at a safe distance ahead of Prince Asher, singing the song and hoping he'd get paid for it afterwards. It was just unfortunate that Prince Asher's entourage wasn't quite as extravagant as the lyrics had anticipated:

(OOC: with apologies to Disney and Robin Williams - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEryAoLfnAA)

Make way for Prince Asher
Say hey! It's Prince Asher

Hey! Clear the way in the old Bazaar
Hey you!
Let us through!
It's a bright new star!
Oh Come!
Be the first on your block to meet his eye!

Make way!
Here he comes!
Ring bells! Bang the drums!
Are you gonna love this guy!

Prince Asher! Fabulous sir!
Asher Renodin
Genuflect, show some respect
Down on one knee!
Now, try your best to stay calm
Brush up your sunday salaam
The come and meet his spectacular coterie

Prince Asher!
Mightiest sir!
Asher Renodin
Strong as ten regular men, definitely!
He faced the galloping hordes
A hundred bad guys with swords
Who sent those goons to their lords?
Why, Prince Asher

He's got seventy-five golden eagles
Purple peacocks
He's got fifty-three
When it comes to exotic-type mammals
Has he got a zoo?
I'm telling you, it's a world-class menagerie

Prince Asher! Handsomest sir, Asher Renodin
That physique! How can I speak
Weak at the knee
Well, get on out in that square
Adjust your coat and prepare
To gawk and grovel and stare at Prince Asher!

He's got ninety-five white Cathayan monkeys
(He's got the monkeys, let's see the monkeys)
And to view them he charges no fee
(He's generous, so generous)
He's got serfs, he's got servants and flunkies
(Proud to work for him)
They bow to his whim love serving him
They're just lousy with loyalty to Asher! Prince Asher!

Prince Asher!
Glorious sir! Asher Renodin
Heard Fontan city was a sight lovely to see
And that, good people, is why he got dolled up and dropped by

With sixty horses, hounds galore
With his bears and lions
A brass band and more
With his forty knights, his cooks, his bakers
His cats that constantly purr
Make way for Prince Asher!

5

East Island / The War

« on: October 10, 2017, 07:13:38 PM »

Well that battle in Mashhad was fun!

Shame my character (Alfhelm) is wounded and missing out on all the post-battle messages though

6

Dwilight / New map for Dwilight

« on: October 07, 2017, 01:11:29 AM »

Now, now, hold your horses. This isn't about changing the map, just the welcome news that the project to recreate the base geographical map for Dwilight is nearing completion (massive thanks to Zakky, Gildre and Delvin on this as they did the lion's share of the work).

This will mean the current image file can be replaced with one that will actually work and load properly, as well as giving the flexibility for the potential evolution of the map in future. So if you want to look at the new Dwilight you can do so here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwCyrJNDAbKuRGVXcUxiOUZFLVk

However, because I got a bit carried away with myself, I also came up with a "just for fun" version of Dwilight where the region borders remain the same but new cities and strongholds have been added in certain locations to improve the potential for conflict between competing realms. You can look at that one here in case you're interested:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwCyrJNDAbKuemdxYmVjU05wdlE

7

Feature Requests / Under Debate: In-game Newspapers

« on: September 28, 2017, 03:06:25 PM »

Title: In-game Newspapers

Summary:

Back in the good old days, there were lively newspapers on the wiki. That sort of died a death over time, especially after the forum launched, as overall player interest in the wiki declined. So I'd like to suggest that newspapers are brought in-game instead with nobles able to create newspapers which are visible to characters across the continent and can be accessed by them.

Details:

Add a new Newspapers item in the Politics menu. Players could could click on it to either found/edit their own newspaper, view the list of newspapers for the continent (along with when they were last updated), subscribe to individual newspapers and send a message to the editor of a newspaper which they're subscribed to.

The mechanics of a newspaper would function similarly to a message group. Each "edition" of the newspaper would be a standard letter-type text box which shows up in messages with a custom header (in a similar format to World News messages). Different articles could be encompassed within one edition of a newspaper by using the styling options to sub divide it up (e.g. headlines in block capitals or bold, bylines in italics, or whatever) at the editor's discretion.

Each newspaper could have multiple characters as editors (each editor would be able to add new editors but only the earliest added editor could remove other editors) and the role of an editor would be to create new editions and dispatch them. The editors could also give the newspaper a one sentence description to be displayed alongside its name in the list of newspapers for a continent.

By giving characters the ability to write to the editor of a newspaper they subscribe to would make it possible for characters across the continent to write and submit articles to a newspaper without having to become editors.

Founding a newspaper would be open to anyone but should cost a token amount of gold - I'd suggest 25 or 50 to keep it affordable.

Optional extra: Charge characters a nominal sum of gold (1 gold) to subscribe to a newspaper for a month. The gold from subscriptions would be paid to the editor which would provide a small financial incentive for creating and maintaining them.

Benefits:

Newspapers would be restored to Battlemaster, only in-game where players would be much more likely to read them. Just like in the old days, some might be genuine attempts at impartial reporting while others would be simple propaganda sheets dedicated to promoting their home realm and blackening the name of their enemies. In the case of the latter, it might incentivise realms to create their own propaganda sheets to counter those of enemy realms and would help drive more activity in the game.

It would also allow regular knights an additional way to become influential and well known by running a newspaper or writing articles for one, helping to make the knight game more interesting.

Possible Downsides/Exploits:

Could further draw people away from the wiki and could potentially make it easier for characters to share OOC info continent-wide or to engage in griefing. However, I think the existing game rules, and the fact that anyone could subscribe to any newspaper, should prevent that from becoming a significant problem.

8

Development / Too Few Nobles: A fix for noble density?

« on: September 03, 2017, 10:31:01 PM »

This has been born from a discussion in IRC which got me thinking. I haven't posted this as a feature request or similar because it's just an idea and I'd just like to see what people think about whether it's workable or not.

• Dwilight has 179 nobles.
  East Continent has 188.
  The Colonies has 88.
  Beluaterra has (I don't play there but I'm guessing it's around 150).

If we go by the supposed optimal number of nobles per region for economic productivity then we end up with 3 nobles needed per region. 3 nobles per region also works as a good threshold for decent levels of activity and churn within realms as well as having enough nobles to fight decent wars with your neighbours.

So using 3 nobles per region we can work out how many realm-controlled regions that player base can realistically support on each continent:

• Dwilight: 60 regions
  East Continent: 63 regions
  Beluaterra: regions
  Colonies: 29 regions

Compare that to the number of regions that actually belong to realms on each continent and you'll see why the game has got a problem - and I'm not just talking about things like silent realms, I'm also talking about things like it being very difficult to even muster up enough mobile CS to successfully attack a city.

So here's a suggestion: why not have a Too Few Nobles mechanic?

That is to say, if a region goes too long without the required number of nobles (possibly as a function of how many estates it can support) then the nobles won't be able to maintain control of the peasants so the region will revolt and go rogue.

Now, this mechanic would be disastrous for a lot of realms. But it would be a very effective way of enforcing a decent noble density per realm. And it would probably work much better, and more realistically, than the monster attacks mechanism that's currently on Dwilight in an attempt to control realm density.

And realms who were hit by this realm would have a choice. They'd either be forced to retreat to a core which they can keep control of, and potentially find themselves isolated from any neighbouring realms by a swathe of rogue regions, or they'd have to bite the bullet and migrate to an area with higher noble density so they can carry on being able to enjoy conflict with neighbours and the whole BATTLE aspect of Battlemaster.

Unlike other attempts at improving realm density (glaciers, sinking islands, etc.) this would have the advantage that active realms wouldn't be insta-killed by it. It would also give realms a real incentive to relocate wholesale from one location to another where there are already existing realms which don't have enough nobles to hang on to all the regions they have.

On somewhere like East Continent, as an example, it probably would result, over time, in either the northern or southern half of the island having to be abandoned. But it would be easy enough for a realm at one end of the island to relocate to the other end where they'd be able to take over duchies that had gone rogue from other realms. So existing realms wouldn't necessarily have to die.

And in the long term you'd end up with all the characters on an island being forced to live cheek-by-jowel next to one another which is just what you need to ensure enough conflict and war to keep the game fun and interesting.

Best of all, it's also a mechanic that's dynamic. Your realm wants to expand? No problem - just make sure you have enough nobles to do so and you'll be fine. Not enough nobles to hang on to what you've got? Fine, best fall back to a core area then - or move into a neighbouring realm and take one of their duchies.

So that's the idea. Please feel free to tear into it and tell me why it won't work or would be a bad idea because it's genuinely just an idea which I'd like to get other opinions on.

But ultimately, Battlemaster is a game that, even in terms of basic gameplay, relies on a decent noble density. If the density is too low then it becomes about realm management instead of realm-on-realm conflict. We all know this is a problem so here's my random idea on a way to deal with it.

9

Atamara / Any Ashlanteans families/characters left around?

« on: September 01, 2017, 07:58:38 PM »

I left the game for a while and play a different account now but my first ever BM character was in the Ash Sea Islands (way back before Magna Serpaenism was even a thing).

So I was wondering whether there are any surviving Ashlantean characters or families left in the game anymore? Or any players who used to play Ashlantean characters on an old account?

Or am I the Last Ashlantean?

10

Roleplaying / Isadril's Tower of High Sorcery

« on: August 30, 2017, 02:42:22 PM »

(The periodic roleplaying relating to The Tower of High Sorcery estate in Isadril on East Continent)

Letter to all nobles of Vix Tiramora
My Lords and Ladies, please permit me to make bold with an introduction.

I am Alfhelm of House Sussex and it is my great pleasure to join all of you in the service of Vix Tiramora.

I look forward to making your acquaintances in person and to playing my part in bringing greater triumph and prosperity to our great democracy.

For now, should anyone wish to contact me, messages may be sent to my new estate at the High Tower of Sorcery in Isadril from whence my servants will find a way to dispatch them to wherever I may be at that time. Or at least they will once they have finished clearing the mysterious powders, potions, animal remains, eldritch objects and scrap parchment from my new quarters. And found a way to keep The Librarian from hounding me for my predecessors book fines.

Yours sincerely,
Alfhelm Sussex
Knight of Isadril

11

BM General Discussion / Closing Continents

« on: October 15, 2015, 02:02:30 PM »

There's been talk about this already but this is just a plea for all continents but one to be closed for the time being even if that means everyone having to pick one character to move to East Continent.

With only 500 or less players, and even fewer active ones, I find myself autopausing disturbingly regularly just because there's no enjoyment to be had in the game unless you're at the top or have time to roleplay (which I don't) largely because, with the exception of a few realms, everything seems to have gone quiet.

We're now seeing problems like not being able to gather together enough mobile CS to siege a city due to low player density and attempts to compensate for that kind of problem just end up ignoring the root cause.

So please, please can everyone just be moved onto one continent where the upheaval of all the new arrivals will be enough to keep things active and interesting until geography changes or whatever can be worked out.

That's my request anyway 

12

Beluaterra / The return of Fronen

« on: January 12, 2015, 06:08:43 PM »

So at its lowest point Fronen was down to one region and was governed as a tyranny.

Now it's back up to five regions, including one city, and has 9 nobles. The republican system of government is restored and its army is small enough that it's not forced to join any side in the war.

The downside is that it's ruled by the most infamous (non-Chenier and non-Himoura) man on the continent, Immanuel Octavius who is hated by the big boys of the north and that the duchess-judge of the capital hates his guts.

Where now for Fronen? Will it dissolve into internal squabbling again? Will more regions rejoin it? Will it amaze everyone by somehow conquering the continent? And just how should it try to get new nobles?

Please send answers on a postcard addressed to The Senate, Wudenkin, Fronen.

13

East Island / Eponllyn has a new banker

« on: September 12, 2014, 12:06:27 AM »

Antonine Octavius II is now the banker of Eponllyn and, in fulfilment of a campaign pledge, has given every noble in the realm a free pony. Roleplays are ensuing and Indirik has already made a My Little Pony reference.

Clearly this spells the end of days for serious medieval-ality on the continent :p

14

Far East Island / Cathay surrenders

« on: September 10, 2014, 02:49:56 PM »

Cathay has surrendered unconditionally to the empire. All troops are standing down. Bar Kindara in its one region, the war is over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJc5EPAyesU

15

Feature Requests / Region buffs from religion

« on: July 21, 2014, 04:28:48 PM »

Title: Region buffs from religion

Summary: Significantly increase the buffs and debuffs to region stats caused by the match or mismatch between the lord's and the peasants' religion.

Details: At the moment region stats will be hurt slightly if a sizeable number of peasants have a different religion to their region lord and will be improved slightly if they have the same religion. I propose significantly increasing the negative effect of a mismatch and possibly doing the same to the positive effect of a match.

Benefits: At the moment religion is pretty much inconsequential to the game - particularly since the priest class was nerfed. As a result most players don't care about their character's religion and there are lots of nobles who remain pagan without any stigma despite the fact that, in theory, nobles are meant to be embarrassed about following the same superstitions as peasants.

By creating significantly increasing the impact of a lords religion matching or not matching that of their region then there's a strong incentive to take religion seriously. A pagan lord will have an incentive to adopt the majority religion of their region. A lord who belongs to a religion will have both a positive and a negative incentive to ensure that their region is converted to share their faith including by using mechanics like persecuting heretics which generally don't get used at the moment.

This will actually create an everyday consequence from religion in the game and hopefully that might result in the whole topic being taken more seriously and end the current situation where hardly anyone other than priest characters actually give a damn about it.

It would additionally make the game more realistic because in real life if you were to follow one religion and conquer somewhere with a completely different religion then you could probably expect a lot of resistance to your rule as a result.

Possible downsides or exploits: if the buffs and debuffs are too strong or too rapid then a region could potentially suffer severe damage before it can realistically be converted but I'm not sure that this is a downside unless the buffs are at completely ridiculous levels. My understanding is that regions no longer spiral out of control so a region might be kept at low stats due to a religion mismatch but shouldn't go rogue or anything as a result of it.