So the ongoing conversation on pagans has brought up the subject of conversion, and it has me wondering how various people handle conversions. Are they common or rare in your campaigns? What process(es) do you require for of the characters before conversion? Do you handle it purely via roleplaying or have you developed rules for the process?

I had a player convert to Brit. Christianity, and I just let him change the religion listed on his character sheet and then underline new traits. He openly declared his new religion at court, but I didnt require that. I doubt he would have ever made the religious ideal, but he converted for roleplay reasons and it seemed appropriate.

We've had to face this a couple of times when characters have had dramatic experiences which seemed to demand a change in their outlook. It's been mostly simply role-played, and always player lead. Like headwound I got the player to change their underlined traits and maybe modified a few of these or their passions as seemed to fit the experience they had just had. This had lead to a number of enjoyable roleplaying situations when suddenly they are faced with a conflict between their old life-styles and now conflicting ideals, especially as their traits don't necessarily match up with those underlined!

I have not encountered it yet. But I would handle it through roleplay. The bonuses gained through character generation are due to their upbringing and should not changed, other than checks gained through roleplay.

Religious conversions should not be instant, but should take place in the Winter phase, at which time the NPC or PC should lose any benefits from their old religion.

This can be contrasted with real conversions that were likely fake reports, such as, the conversion of Clovis, king of the Salian Franks during the time of King Author. Clovis and been nagged by his Christian wife for years to convert, but did not until he was about to be killed in a battle. Calling on his Wotanic gods did not work , so he supposedly called on his wife's God and the battle immediately reversed itself into his victory. If one trusts this report from Gregory of Tours (which I don't) one could allow instant conversions if a critical fumble of Piety occurred in a dire situation with immediate loss of any religious bonuses, but even in this case the convert would have needed to be worked on by someone trying to convert them over a period of years.

Ive Never had a player do this , But it seems like it could easily happen. I also feel like You would just allow him to underline the new traits , and then change the religious heading on his paper. he obviously wont be able to be GOOD at the new religion right off the bat!! hahah Since his ideals were so different beforehand! BUT as an option you could have him Roleplay through it saying that he spends a year as a hermit , or in a religious house , maybe you would then give him the opportunity to randomely roll a d6 and use the points to put towards changing his religious traits?? IDk..just a thought! :)