Grand Cities
Grand Cities are population centers with great importance for both the mortal and supernatural world.
In Princes of Darkness, certain cities have a unique holding type, inspired by the Great Works of CK2. You cannot build normal buildings in these holdings (except for duchy buildings), but they come with a set of unique buildings with special bonuses.
To upgrade buildings in a Grand City, you need to fulfill certain requirements first. At certain levels, they unlock new abilities for your character.
The player can only hold one Grand City at a time. Werewolves can't use them at all — the holding automatically gets converted to a tribe.
Rome
Rome comes in 3 versions, depending on the character who holds it:
- Roma Aeterna, used by Vampires
- St. Peter's City, used by Hunters (Shadow Inquisition only)
- Eternal Rome, used by everyone else
Roma Aeterna
Vampires can build the 13 historical districts of Rome, each associated with a specific Clan. There's one district for each Clan that has a Primogen position in the game (except Tremere).
The districts have 4 tiers:
- Tier 1: Can be built if your Clan has access to the Primogen position. Increases tax income, fort level, garrison, monthly prestige, and another bonus unique to the district.
- Tier 2: Can be upgraded if you are King-rank and employ the respective Primogen. Has the above bonuses, plus monthly renown.
- Tier 3: Can be upgraded if the Primogen has Good Aptitude. Has the above bonuses and also unlocks a new ability for your character.
- Tier 4: Can be upgraded if the Primogen has Excellent Aptitude. Has even higher stat bonuses.
Districts
- Ventrue District: Raises monthly Renown. Tier 3 unlocks the Sell Titles decision.
- Brujah District: Raises Knight effectiveness. Tier 3 unlocks the Brujah Panegyra activity.
- Gangrel District: Raises Damage and Toughness of Animal Men-at-arms. Tier 3 unlocks the Hunt activity.
- Lasombra District: Raises county-wide tax. Tier 3 unlocks the Extort Subjects decision.
- Nosferatu District: Raises Scheme discovery chance. Tier 3 unlocks the Fabricate Hook scheme.
- Tzimisce District: Raises baseline Dread. Tier 3 unlocks Vozhd Men-at-arms. Can't be built by Tremere.
- Toreador District: Raises monthly Prestige. Tier 3 unlocks the Commission Epic decision.
- Cappadocian District: Raises hostile scheme resistance. Tier 3 unlocks access to the Shadowlands, and the holder can manipulate the Shroud in Rome.
- Malkavian District: Raises Stress loss. Tier 3 unlocks the Hold Mystical Communion decision.
- Salubri District: Lowers stress gain. Tier 3 unlocks the Unburden interaction, which lets the holder change their stress traits in exchange for Piety. Can only be built by Salubri.
- Ravnos District: Increases travel speed and travel safety. Tier 3 improves the Find Mortals interaction (each mortal has their resonance intensity increased by 1). Can only be built by Ravnos.
- Setite District: Increases hostile scheme success chance. Tier 3 unlocks the Propaganda interaction, which lets the holder hide their crimes in exchange for Prestige. Can only be built by Setites.
- Banu Haqim District: Increases hostile scheme power. Tier 3 unlocks the Assassination interaction, which lets the holder instantly complete all Murder schemes in exchange for stress and Prestige. Can only be built by Banu Haqim, those with an Ashirra faith, or those who have their capital in the Middle East region.
St. Peter's City
Hunters of the Shadow Inquisition can take up residence in the Monastery of San Michele, which then serves as a headquarters for the Inquisition. The monastery has 5 sections, one for each Inquisition Order.
The buildings have 3 tiers:
- Tier 1: Built automatically via decision. Only gives minor bonuses at tier 1. Increases popular opinion in every domain county, and monthly piety.
- Tier 2: No upgrade requirements. Has the above bonuses, plus tax income, fort level, and garrison.
- Tier 3: Can be upgraded after taking the decision to support the respective Inquisition Order. Has the above bonuses, a unique bonus for each building, and also unlocks a new ability for your character.
Sections of the Monastery
- Library (Red Order): Increases Learning. Tier 3 makes the Intercession interaction guaranteed to work.
- Aedificium (House Murnau): Increases Stewardship. Tier 3 makes the Pope always supportive.
- Grand Reliquary (Knights of Acre): Increases Martial. Tier 3 unlocks the ability to buy Artifact claims and makes them cheaper.
- Basilica (Sisters of St. John): Increases Diplomacy. Tier 3 lets the holder meditate in seclusion, which has better outcomes when done in the Basilica.
- Cloisters (Oculi Dei): Increases Intrigue. Tier 3 increases the Planning Speed of the Find Lair Journey.
Eternal Rome
Characters who aren't Vampires or Inquisitors have access to the historical landmarks of Rome.
The landmarks only have 2 tiers. Each building (aside from Pasquino) increases garrison and fort level. Tier 2 is expensive and slow to upgrade, but massively increases the building's stats.
Historical landmarks
- Colosseum: Increases monthly prestige. Can be upgraded if the holder has the August trait or a Seneschal with Excellent Aptitude. Tier 2 unlocks the ability to feed prisoners to wild animals. If you have the Northern Lords DLC, you can also hold Gruesome Festivals in the Colosseum.
- Hadrian's Tomb: Increases monthly renown and county-wide tax. Can be upgraded if the holder has the Scholar trait or an Antiquarian with Excellent Aptitude. Tier 2 unlocks the ability to buy Artifact claims and makes them cheaper.
- Aqua Virgo: Increases monthly piety and tax income. Can be upgraded if the holder has the Architect trait or a Royal Architect with Excellent Aptitude. Tier 2 unlocks the Develop Capital decision if Rome is your capital.
- Pasquino: Increases general opinion, popular opinion, personal scheme power, and hostile scheme power. Can be upgraded if the holder has the Schemer trait or a Spymaster with at least 20 Intrigue. Tier 2 unlocks the Propaganda interaction, which lets the holder hide their crimes in exchange for Prestige.