I think that maybe life-spans, or at least royal life-spans, have already increased to include several hundred years. Or something of the sort.

History of the Calebethon, however, hints that Channeler's lifespans are shorter than I had originally imagined (10,000 years) ... as I had felt that Channelers could live 100 times as long as the Mortal Mages. The histories seem to indicate that a Channeler usually cannot live more than 500 or so years. So perhaps the royal family, closely tied with the Channeler, could live till about 200 years perhaps. At least his children, his Wives would probably go Infertile at 50 or 60 and die off at 100 or 120. Of course, if you want to be realistic for peasants for the era, then have the Wife go infertile at 45 and die at 55.

Perhaps have a pop-up for when your wife goes infertile, and due to your traits,personalities,characteristics, you can make a choice. Divorce her, Imprison Her, Execute her, stay married and faithful, Wed another Wife, Gain a Mistress, Gain More Mistresses, or "carry on" I already have a mistress and don't feel like remarrying.

Well, I think (personally) that Stardock should add *legal* polygamy as an advantage, and faithful monagamy as a "disadvantage"**

**its not actually a disadvantage, but by maintaning Morale Authority, you are able to spend more points on other facets of life, its not to say that monogamy is "worse" merely that it allows you to be a better person in other areas. Likely Faithful Monagamists and Legal Polygamists would be at opposing ends, and thus have diplomatic difficulties.

So ... the DEFAULT would simply be legal monogamy, with a chance to sire bastard children as well.

This seem like the most logical consideration. Bastard children *could* give you extra champions, but they could also get mad at you and stir up revolt. Do you decide to barr of bastard children fofr good? or do you spend points to have multiple queens (as opposed to mistresses) in order to keep all your Children loyal?

-I suppose there could be a similar option for Female Sovereigns, although im not exactly sure what the benefits/penalties could be ... as you can't exactly have *more* children through infidelity as a female ... unless being so merely means an increased chance of fertility, as the female's eggs are being fertilized by many consorts there is a greater chance that a successful Zygote will be formed. The downside would be that your illigitamit offspring would also be "bastards" (I think?) ... or maybe since the Sov is the mother, there would be no bastards, but maybe you would lose your Spouse every time you sired a bastard, thus (at least temporarily) decreasing your chances of having another child. However, if you legalize Polygamy, you could have many pleased Kings and thus maximize your chances of getting pregnant (based upon the fertility of your spouses).

Of course, the numbers of Children between faithful and legalized faithlessness are much greater for Males, so probably a greater point-spread for Males. (because a faithful Male and faithful Female would have the same approximate number of children, but an unfaithful male would have MANY more children than an unfaithful Female ... on Average). And that average quickly turns into *every game* when it spans many generations of spouses.

Another "advantage" of legal polygamy is that there is a much greater chance (almost 100%) that there will be at least 1 living spouse at any given time, since if your "harem" of 3-5 decreases by one due to a Death, you can always marry another to "replenish the ranks."

Another "disadvantage" of the Male being faithfully Monagamous is the amount of time NO children can be born between the time when their Wife grows infertile to the time when she dies. As there are no mistresses or other wives to fill in the gap. Thus being a Faithful Husband gives MORE points back to spend than being a faithful Wife. Also, being an Unfaithful Husband COSTS more points than being an Unfaithful Wife.

This is all excellent of course...great post Tasunke. I must admit, I'd never considered the gameplay options folded down into the marriage jack-on-the-box, it seems to have far more going for it than something like espionage.

The polygamy trait would only have an advantage if your Sov is male, marrying multiple me won't improve a female Sovs birthrate

Partly true, a female soverign might have more children that way because of varying fertility of her partners, but it would be more of an advantage to males certainly.

Marry some dozens of women; pick one as favourite, rest in the harem; fiddle with the others when not in the mood for the favourite; change favourite when needed; the others do their normal life in the harem while no needed by the husband. Polygamy costs more money but the husband can have the same free time as a monogamist. In any case, none of them are advantages or disadvantages per se.

I have real problems envisioning this part of the game. can our Sovereign marry more than once (after the previous died of old age...) or not? Will they have fertility windows to be able to have kids? Pure random or will exist a limit of kids per couple? Because having a long living Sovereign can could marry more than once and keep giving life to more children while the already living children are having their own... In the end, you won't need normal units as you will have your own army of heroes (I'm exxagerating a bit about the no need of normal units).

Maybe it's not a problem but I find it strange to say the least.

Absolutely right. In that and in the huge map thing. Wait and see, I suppose.

Nothing happens. Maybe in the future Stardock will add something or maybe not. But right now there is no difference between playing male or female.

May be the ability to live forever transmited via making love?  

I hope that every heroes,soldier,sprouse can die by old age except me, the channeller. So I can choose my new queen when she die or cannot give me the heir. And live forever while seeing my friend and my love die one by one is interested drama(as Highlander series).

well, I've found that each time you want to play a new game, you need to exit the game and reinitialize it. Thats cause the UI is saving or somesuch on the "game screen" not allowing a new interface to be made, so you can only load your game or exit, and by re-entereing have cleared the RAM and can make a new one.

At least ... I think thats what it means.

Does anybody else think it's odd when your sovereign's wife repeatedly gives birth when your sovereign hasn't been in his capital since turn 1?

My only guess is that she travels as part of an invisible entourage that the 'sov has.  But then again, why does the grown child appear in the capital city?