- The directly discussed religion transmission issue was one I couldn't find in dev notes or searches.
- The preferences issues that crops up beside it I didn't check for as it isn't my primary suggestion or point.
I just had a small reaction to this:
"Religions are all passed down through the parents though, so the elves were still worshipping the forest spirit, and the goblins were worshipping the long-deceased demon. I suppose that could play a role in their decisions, along with whatever else."
I don't think tying religion to the parent-child relationship is all that great an idea, especially not in the complete conquest/takeover situation. I do realize the existing model is simple and functional, I would simply like to see a more complex model implemented as a bloat somewhere (probably life-cycles arc type stuff).
My suggestion would be to change this to a parents+society model modified by their individual preferences.
I'm not exactly sure how preferences are generated at the moment, but I would hope preferences for goblins born into a dwarf controlled settlement vary significantly from those born in goblin controlled ones? I.e. are preferences entirely racially dependent or do they vary with society as well...
I mostly imagine preferences for the population shifting along a bell curve over time. I.e. Year 1 of conquest everyone hangs on to their old beliefs except for the odd suck-up/misfit. By the X generation it has shifted, and preferences/religion(s) have spread out more evenly among the available preferences/religion(s).
To summarize:
1. Religion selection for the individual to be made more complex.
2. Individual preferences a combination of society and race.
In a narrative sense:
Goblin teenager to his mom: I'm sorry mom, but I won't come to demon worship today. I think the girl next door is really cute in her leaf gown and I want to go to the river-bathing ceremony today with all the other kids.
I hope that all made sense.