England, 1558. The venerable Kingsbridge Cathedral watches over a city torn by religious hatred. Half of Europe is deeply divided by conflict between Catholics and Protestants. England, France, Spain, and the Netherlands are all vying for power and resources. In this politically unstable environment, players compete to increase their influence by aligning with members of prominent families. They form alliances with dignitaries across Europe and set up trading houses to sell their goods. The religious power struggles in these countries are incessant, and those who sympathize with the losing religion are occasionally driven out of a country. Who will best exploit the changing religious attitudes in each country to gain control?