Religion and patrons

Clawsomegamer’s patron roundup says shrines open once Plebeians exist: build at the sanctuary, pick a religion, pick a main god. The first four are Ceres, Neptune, Minerva, and Mars. Epona, Cernunnos, and Mercury-Lugus unlock later. Aegyptus adds three more in Dawn of the Delta.

Island bonus versus dominance

A patron has a local production bonus and an island bonus. If that god’s devotion is the world highest and clears a threshold, the god becomes dominant and the whole empire gets a global effect. Neptune’s global effect is ship speed. Neptune’s island effect is tougher, cheaper ships built on that island. Those are different, which is why a maintenance complaint belongs on the Neptune fix page.

Aegyptus exaltations

• Sobek: fire safety, a dovecote, and extra shrines.
• Isis-Bastet: happiness, health, a sphinx shrine, festivals up 50 percent.
• Thoth: knowledge, Books of Thoth raising library output 20 percent, specialist buy and reroll 30 percent cheaper.

Devotion comes from sanctuary coverage, public buildings, and met alcohol needs, according to the same roundup. Exact shrine counts and level gates were not in one official table. The practical order is sanctuary, then shrine, then the needs that feed devotion.