Papal Controller
From Crusaderkings
Papal Controller is a special trait granted to whichever ruler has control over the Papacy. This is reflected by a small cross around the ruler's portrait and it is announced at the beginning of each game who the Papal Controller is.
What does it grant? It allows you excommunicate rulers. Excommunications are very nasty events which hurt rulers and can effect their relations with their vassals and neighbors. However, this also reduces the prestige cost of grabbing titles by about 90%- a very nice advantage.
Papal Controller can also rescind excommunications. This is useful for helping out loyal vassals, courtiers and allies that you want to help out.
In order to excommunicate a Pope spends his prestige points- the amount he spend is based on the prestige of whoever he's excommunicating. Sometimes the Papacy may be poor and have few buildings in it's realm- if this is the case and you're Papal Controller, toss the Pope a few thousand gold so he can build up improvements that will grant prestige bonuses and let him expand his realm.
In order to become Papal Controller you must do one of two things....
1. HAVE THE BEST PIETY DURING A CRUSADE.
During a Crusade- simply have the highest Prestige value and be a Catholic. That's it. As Piety can come very easy in a crusade when you take over target provinces, this is likely how must players will become Papal Controller.
Note that you MUST reload the game after getting the highest piety during a crusade in order to become the Papal Controller.
2. BE RELATED TO THE POPE
This one is by far the hardest. You must promote a family member to Pope by....
1. Promoting someone young w/ a clergy education to Bishop at about 16 or 17.
2. Making sure he has a very high piety.
3. Giving him provinces in which he can make buildings to give him high piety.
4. Ally with him during a crusade and have him help you take over the right provinces.
This is not an easy task to accomplish, at all, so must players tend to avoid it entirely.
If you are excessively evil you can assassinate scores of Popes until your relative is the one on the throne. Beware though- aside from going to the 9th lair of hell for eternity this will also increase your badboy dramatically and lead to counter-assassination attempts against the offending ruler.
Oddly enough there are no negative unique events for assassinating the Pope but there probably should be.
