Birthright system for other campaigns

[gloriousbattle]

I really enjoy the BR system, and would like to use it in another fantasy campaign that I am running. There are only two problems with using BR for any other campaign, though.

1. Birthright only has stats for the nations of Cerilia;

and

2. Birthright's system of "Bloodlines" and "being tied to the land" is really only applicable to the official setting.

I think the first problem is rather easily gotten around by just creating a map divided into provinces, and giving the provinces BR stats.

The second problem is trickier, but, I think, not insoluble.

In fact, the concept of "Bloodlines" and "being tied to the land" is a very real phenomenon in historical medieval politics, it just isn't a magical phenomenon.

Most medieval civil wars erupt when at least one noble can claim that the king lacks sufficient legitimacy to rule. This was largely the cause of the Wars of the Roses, and, even, to a smaller extent, of the English Civil Wars. Yes, I am aware that those conflicts had far more than this running in the background, but in each case, it was a real question as to whether the king was the legitimate ruler of the state.

What about a game where "Bloodline" simply was the perception that the nobility and the common people had of the regent's legitimacy? Simply take the magical powers out of it, and assume that bloodline didn't increase by taking heads, but by political actions.

Off the cuff, suppose that your character got a d10 bloodline points for each of the following:

1. Being born to a noble house [once only].
2. Being made the heir to a present regent [once only].
3. Being recognized as ruler by the most important church in the land [once only].
4. Winning a major battle (one involving at least one province changing hands, or not changing hands) [each incident].
5. Performing a heroic action that serves the people (such as killing the manticore that has been terrorizing the province, rescuing the crown princess from the evil wizard's castle, etc.) or being honored by the present regent [each incident].
6. Marrying someone with at least 50 Bloodline strength, or marrying the present heir to a regent, regardless of her Bloodline strength [once only].

Now, I'd just tack something very simple onto this as a limiting factor, saying that Bloodline divided by 10 was the maximum province level and holding level that the regent could rule. If he gained control of a province or holding of higher level, it simply would not serve him beyond the maximum level of his Bloodline strength. This does not mean that the province or holding level would drop, simply that it would perform only at the lower level for that ruler unltil his Bloodline increased, as the perception that the people were being ruled by a usurper would cause them to give somewhat half-hearted support.

I think that is a realistic system that changes BR only very slightly, and would be applicable to any medieval setting. What do you think?