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The '''Path to Royalty''' is a series of 17 upgrades that can be offered in sequence to owners of the [[Federation HUD]].  It is a mandatory part of the process for becoming a King or Queen.  Completion of all steps of the Path except coronation is also required to receive an appointment as a [[Viceroy|Viceroy, Vicereine, Grand Viceroy, or Grand Vicereine]].

Below are the collected observations of several players about their experiences with the Path, as a broad guide about what to expect.  Some are rulers now, others have a long way to go.

''(Editor Note: It is not normal in the mainspace of a wiki to cite contributors by name, as it tends to work against collaboration.  In this specific case who is writing is integral to what has been written, thus public in-text attribution has for now been preserved.)''

== Path to Royalty Steps ==
This is a rough outline of the steps and requirements. It is presumed incomplete and based on recorded notes rather than experimental evidence.

{| border="1"
! Step
! Total Acres
! Personal Acres
! Cost
! Name
|-
| 1
| ?
| ?
| 2-3.5 Million
| Castle Beautification
|-
| 2
| ?
| ?
| 3.5-4.3 Million
| Castle Beautification
|-
| 3
| ?
| ?
| (cost)
| Castle Beautification
|-
| 4
| ?
| ?
| (cost)
| Castle Beautification
|-
| 5
| 5,000
| ?
| 13.4-20.6 Million
| Land for the Cathedral
|-
| 6
| 7,000
| ?
| 13.3-25.9 Million
| Give something back to the People - Road improvement or Central Market
|-
| 7
| 8,000
| ?
| 13.4-27.4 Million
| Cathedral Architect
|-
| 8
| 9,000
| ?
| 20-25.6 Million
| Defensive Upgrade 1
|-
| 9
| 10,000
| ?
| 32.5-34.6 Million
| Public Work
|-
| 10
| ?
| ?
| 20-25.6 Million
| Defensive Upgrade 2
|-
| 11
| 15,000
| ?
| 36.9-40.4 Million
| Cathedral Design Choice
|-
| 12
| ?
| ?
| 20-25.6 Million
| Defensive Upgrade 3
|-
| 13
| 15,000
| 700
| 29-45 Million
| Additional Workers for Cathedral
|-
| 14
| 16,000
| 800
| 500 Gold or 40 Million
| Coronation Transportation
|- 
| 15
| 17,000
| 900
| 50 Million
| Throne Room
|- 
| 16
| 18,000
| 950
| 50 Million
| Crown Jewels
|- 
| 17
| 20,000
| 1,000
| 50 Million
| Coronation
|} 

=== Declining the Path to Royalty ===

Many players will never wish to become king or queen and are quite happy as a prince or princess.  Those who enjoy the challenge of managing a medium or massive downline without needing a crown may IM Emperor Ultralite Soleil to have the Path to Royalty options removed from the Federation HUD.  No other features of the Federation HUD are affected.

== Path to Royalty Notes (> 20,000 total acres) ==

=== BigBadaBoom Bing observations ===
	 
The way I had ascended was the way that was recommended to me by my King, Luz Susenko of Ayodhya. He recommended  staying on the Full Version HUD as long as possible, and then switch to the Federation HUD once you have all the required acres and gold. I think this is the easier path than buying the Federation HUD early on, though you do miss out on some of the extra things the Federation HUD provides. Luz also told me to save up at least 200 million gold.

(Addendum: at the time I bought the Fed HUD, the only extras it provided were citizens, alliances, the Festival and the Path to Royalty.  The Trader book & key, gold bars, the Alchemist, the Abbot, Embassies and the Quest didn't exist then - those all came later. I may have chosen to do the Fed HUD sooner in today's environment, which is different than when I started to play TE.)
	 
I had met all of the acres requirements using the Full Version HUD, and the requirements for me then were 20,000 total acres and 500 personal acres. I had over 33,000 acres and over 1,000 personal acres. I also had saved up 1.1 billion gold. When I decided to ascend, I bought the Federation HUD, and just paid for all the upgrades in the Path to Royalty as they appeared in the HUD. I ascended 6 days after buying the Federation HUD.  There were 17 upgrades to buy with a total cost of 320 million gold. The gold amount can vary, as the early upgrades are chosen from a menu with different cost amounts.  In addition to the 320 million gold for the upgrades, I paid an additional 92 million gold for disasters during the 6 days.  When I ascended, I still had 970 million gold in reserve.  I did notice the Path to Royalty upgrades appeared like clockwork every 6 hours. This assumes of course the minimum acres requirement were met, like it was in my case.  If you keep track of your how long you have the HUD attached, you can know exactly when the next upgrade will appear.  If you do miss the initial appearance of an upgrade, then it will reappear again exactly one hour later. The final upgrade, the Coronation, will keep reappearing every few turns - rather annoyingly so. :)  In theory, you can buy all the upgrades in as little as 4 days if you don't sleep.

Below are the 17 steps that I had done for the Path to Royalty

# A grand foyer with marble columns and lush tapestries
# A large, sweeping driveway lined with dozens of oak trees
# Clock tower with hands and face made of pure gold    
# A royal garden and topiary with a giant labyrinth of holly  
# Twelve acre parcel overlooking nearby river 
# Pave road to cathedral 
# Architect 
# Storeroom with supplies
# Magnum opus - dig a canal 
# Deep, frigid moat
# Cathedral, Gothic-designed
# Heavily fortified turrets 
# Hire more workers (20 mill other option) 
# 500 gold cart or 40 million gold carriage (picked the 500g cart)
# Cathedral complete, throne room 
# Crown jewels 
# Coronation 
	 
UPDATE: Since I had ascended in February 2008, the acres requirements for ascension were made tougher: 20,000 total acres and 1,000 personal acres. Also, the cost of the upgrades were increased, to something around 400 million gold. The cost of the last three upgrades were increased from 40 million gold to 50 million gold apiece. Additionally, some of the more recent Monarchs have reported that the spacing between Path to Royalty upgrades were increased from 6 hours apart to around 24 hours apart.

=== Franklin Saintlouis observations ===

Personal Acres has changed to be more than 700 required while doing the Path To Royalty purchases. After purchasing several options, the Path to Royalty started giving messages that more personal acres were required.

Below 700 I was told I needed more after several purchases.

Reaching 700 personal acres opened up one option (Additional labor for cathedral completion - 2 options - forced labor (about 25 Million gold [note by Severinus Wiefel 2008-09-28: 29 million]) or recruiting from other areas (40 Million gold [note by Severinus Wiefel 2008-09-28: 46 million]). Citizens leave if forced labor is chosen, citizens move in with the more expensive recruiting option).  Was then told I needed more personal acres, and had "quite a ways to go."

Reaching 800 personal acres opened up one option (Option of farmers cart for 500 g or carriage for 40 million gold - July 2008. Taking the cheaper cart incurs no apparent penalty).  Was then told I needed more personal acres, and had "quite a ways to go."

Reaching 900 personal acres opened up another option (Throne Room - 50 million gold - July 2008). Was then told I needed more personal acres, and "felt I was close"

Reaching 950 personal acres opened up another option (Crown jewels - 50 million gold - July 2008).

Reaching 1000 personal acres opened up the final option (Coronation - 50 million gold - July 2008). The offer reappears every 6 game months until accepted.



=== Watcher Weatherwax observations ===

I am currently (21 August 2008) being prompted to buy crown jewels for 40 million gold and as I still have less than 750 personal acres (>29,000 total) the offers seem to arrive at different levels of acres and for different costs. I was getting crown jewel offers from about 600 personal acres and (approx) 22,000 total acres.

=== Alexandrea Fride observations ===

started 28the may (restarted(course of abdication before) with 22k+ and 1.9k+pers) (day/month/year)

# did 2mil one (28/05/09)
# did 3.5mil for small step (29/05/09)
# did 4.3mil for golden monument (extra citz) (30/05/09)
# did 2.7mil for giant labyrinth (31/05/09)
# did 20.6mil for Eight acres of prime land in the center of town (extra citz) (1/06/09)
# did 25.9mil for roads that lie within your principality (extra citz)  (2/06/09)
# did 27.4mil for the top architect in the land (extra citz +5gold bars) (4/05/09)
# did 25.6mil for a storeroom with supplies enough to outlast a long siege (5/06/09)
# did 34.6mil for dig a navigable canal from sea to sea for transportation (extra citz) (6/06/09)
# did 22.1mil for a deep frigid moat full of awful swimming creatures (8/06/09)
# did 40.4mil for A modern , Gothic-style design with towers and flying buttresses. (10/06/09)
# did 20mil for heavily fortified turrets with narrow slits for arrows (11/06/09)
# did 45mil for hire more workers from a nearby county at any cost. (extra citz) (12/02/09)
# did 40mil for an 8-horse carriage, intricately carved, inlaid with gold leaf (extra citz) (12/02/09)
# did 50mil to build a throne (14/06/09)
# did 50mil for crow jewels (+5gold bars) (16/06/09)
# and at last 50mil for coronation Finish at (17/06/09)

Greetings from Babylon , Queen Alexandrea Fride :-)
PS: first to ascent twice in Tiny Empires to :) (on same account that is)

=== Tonya Souther observations ===

I'd had the Path paused for a year and a half or so. After requesting that it be resumed, it started right away. I started out with two Potions of Strength and one murky potion in effect.

# Paid 2 million for the grand foyer and lush tapestries, 22 Sep 12. 20642 total acres, 2100 personal, 5007% citizens, 1.910 billion gold.
# 3.5 million for the large sweeping driveway lined with dozens of trees. 23 Sep 12, 20653 total acres, 2100 personal, 4969% citizens, 1.958 billion gold.
# Missed the offer for the arch , May 1199, 24 Sep 12 8:19 AM SLT. Got it again, April 1202, 10:14 AM SLT. 3.9 million gold, 20657 total acres, 2100 personal, 5000% citizens, 2.042 billion gold.
# 2.7 million for the royal garden and topiary (only choice offered), 26 Sep 12 11 AM SLT. 20655 total acres, 2100 personal, 4997% citizens, 1.991 billion gold.
# 20.6 million gold for eight acres of prime land in the center of town for the cathedral, 27 Sep 12 9:12 AM SLT. 20662 total acres, 2100 personal, 4984% citizens, 1.990 billion gold. Got 150% citizens.
# 25.9 million gold to repave all the roads in the principality. 28 Sep 12 6:37 AM SLT, August 1146, 20672 acres, 2100 personal, 4953% citizens, 2.236 billion gold. Got 300% citizens. Watched 242% of them vanish the next turn...
# 27.4 billion gold to hire the top architect in the land for the cathedral, 30 Sep 12 10:25 AM SLT, 20688 acres, 2100 personal, 4953% citizens, 2.044 billion gold. Got 300% citizens, five gold bars.
# 25.6 million gold for the storeroom with supplies enough to outlast a long siege, 1 Oct 12, 10:50 AM SLT. 20691 acres, 2100 personal, 4969% citizens, 2.000 billion gold.
# 34.6 million gold to dig a navigable canal from sea to sea. 2 Oct 12, 4:49 PM SLT, August 1112. 20717 acres, 2100 personal, 4953% citizens, 1.916 billion gold. Got 450% citizens. Watched 405% of them leave the next turn. Should quit buying Path steps in July of even-numbered years.
# 22.1 million gold for the deep, frigid moat full of awful swimming creatures. 5 Oct 12, 6:47 PM SLT, February 1228. 20348 acres, 2100 personal, 5000% citizens, 1.978 billion gold.
# 40.4 million for a modern, Gothic-style cathedral with towers and flying buttresses. 7 Oct 12, 8:28 AM SLT, December 1286. 20353 acres, 2100 personal, 5000% citizens, 2.091 billion gold. Second murky potion in effect.
# 20 million for last castle upgrade, turrets with arrow slits. 8 Oct 12, 6:59 AM SLT, February 1122. 20715 acres, 2100 personal, 5000% citizens, 2.020 billion gold.
# 45 million gold to hire more workers at any cost. 9 Oct 12, 10:15 AM SLT, September 1164. 20728 acres, 2100 personal, 4863% citizens, 2.168 billion gold. Got 300% citizens, and this time get to keep them for a census before giving them away to an ally! Whee.
# 40 million gold for an 8-horse carriage, intricately carved and inlaid with gold leaf. 10 Oct 12, 1:13 PM SLT, November 1206. 20697 total acres, 2100 personal, 4984% citizens, 2.232 billion gold. Got 50% citizens.
# 50 million gold for the throne room. 12 Oct 12, 2:08 PM SLT, April 1283. 20715 total acres, 2100 personal, 5041% citizens, 2.125 billion gold.
# 50 million gold for the crown jewels. 15 Oct 12, 5:48 PM SLT, December 1163. 20766 total acres, 2100 personal, 5000% citizens, 2.213 billion gold. Got 5 gold bars.

At this point, the Path was automatically paused, and I got a message saying that if I intended to ascend, I needed to contact Ultralite Soleil. The display on the Accounting tab's bookkeeping pages shows Path to Royalty: 16/16 (paused). I also got credit for the Completed Path to Royalty achievement.

== Path to Royalty Notes (starting with less than 20,000 total acres) ==

=== Santa Stepanov observations === 

After having under 500 personal acres for an extended time, I received the "quite far to go." message over and over. I received the "close" message, then an option opened at 3,500 total and 450 personal.  After purchasing the option, the "quite far to go" message re-appeared. May 2008

After a sudden increase to 5,000 total acres, an option opened. After purchasing the option, the "quite far to go" message re-appeared. May 2008

At 6,400 in total acres, the "goal is within reach" message began to be displayed. May 2008

After a sudden increase to 14,000 total acres, an option opened. May 2008

Within a few turns, another option opened at the 14,000 total acre mark. May 2008

After several turns, another option (moat) opened at the 14,000 total acre mark. May 2008

After a sudden decrease in total, (non-personal) acres the message "quite far to go" was displayed for many years. May 2008

When reaching 10,000 total acres, the "goal is within reach" message began to be displayed. June 2008

When reaching 1,000 personal acres, the "goal is within reach" message is still displayed. June 2008

After a sudden increase to 14,000 total acres, an option opened (re-route river). June 2008

After a sudden increase to 16,000 total acres, an option opened (fortified turrets). June 2008

After a sudden decrease in total, (non-personal) acres the message "goal is within reach" was displayed for many years. June 2008

After a sudden increase to 15,000 total acres, an option opened (cathedral design). June 2008

After a decrease in total, (non-personal) acres the message "goal is within reach" was displayed for many years. June 2008

After a increase to 14,000 total acres, an option opened (storeroom). July 2008

After reaching 14,500 total acres, the message "goal is within reach" was displayed. July 2008

After a increase to 15,000 total acres, an option opened (plagued cathedral workers). July 2008

After a increase to 16,000 total acres, an option opened (carriage). July 2008

After a increase to 17,000 total acres, an option opened (throne room). August 2008

After a increase to 18,000 total acres, an option opened (crown jewels). August 2008

After a increase to 20,000 total acres, the coronation option opened. August 2008



=== Valentine Janus observations ===

(Valentine Janus became a princess at 1001 total and 184 personal acres.)

At 1004 total acres the first "quite far to go" message was received, and she started building up personal acres.  The first offer came at 194 personal acres (around 1100 total), with three possibilities for castle beautification at 2.0, 2.7, and 3.5 million gold.  Two were purchased as soon as they could be afforded before the "quite far to go" message reappeared.

At 234 personal acres the next offer was received, for a monument at a price ranging from 3.5 to 4.3 million.  The equestrian statue of the emperor was built, resulting in a modest reward.  Some time thereafter, around 280 personal acres, the third castle beautification option was again presented, and after it was purchased the "quite far to go" messages returned.  (19 August 2008)

The next offer came at 5115 total and 334 personal, to acquire land for a cathedral at prices ranging from 13.4 million to 20.6 million gold.  (20 August 2008)  Six acres in the hills above the castle were purchased for 13.4 million gold (currently 5460/334 acres).  (23 August 2008)

The next offer arrived at 7005 total and 447 personal, suggesting it was time to give something back to the people.  Three public improvements were mentioned (two road projects and a central market) with prices from 11.3 million to 25.9 million gold.  (8 September 2008)  The central market, previously destroyed by earthquake, was rebuilt at a cost of 21.2 million gold while holding 7343 total and 448 personal acres.  A significant reward was also received.  (10 September 2008)

At 8002 total and 500 personal acres, the request came to hire an architect to draw up plans for the cathedral.  Prices ranged from 13.4 million to 27.4 million gold.  (19 September 2008)  The "top architect in the land" was hired for 27.4 million gold holding 8221 total and 500 personal acres.  Many citizens came in the aftermath.  (22 September 2008)

The next offer was related to security, suggesting improvements like moats and arrow slits for the castle.  It was received at 10,215 total and 595 personal acres, with prices from 20.0 to 25.6 million gold.  (9 October 2008)  A storeroom with supplies enough to outlast a long siege was purchased for 25.6 million gold at 11,796 total and 597 personal acres.  (12 October 2008)

An opportunity was then presented to do the biggest public work to date, at 12,346 total and 613 personal acres, with all options involving the waterways of the empire.  Prices ranged from 32.5 to 34.6 million gold.  (14 October 2008)  A seaport was built in the bay for 33.5 million gold to increase trade opportunities, and population swelled by over 10%.  Acreage was 12,800 total and 611 personal.  (17 October 2008)

The issue of defensive works was then revisited at 13,190 total and 637 personal acres, repeating the earlier offers and prices on the moat with awful swimming creatures and the turrets with arrow slits.  (20 October 2008)  The upgraded turrets were purchased for 20 million gold at 13,294 total and 636 personal.  (21 October 2008)

The architect returned with three possible designs for the cathedral, one Romanesque, one small of the highest quality, and one modern Gothic design.  Prices were from 36.9 to 40.4 million gold; acreage was 13,459 total and 647 personal.  (23 October 2008)  A small cathedral and campanile built to the highest quality were purchased for 36.9 million gold at 13,825 total and 645 personal acres.  (25 October 2008)

The final defensive improvement, a deep frigid moat full of awful swimming creatures, was offered at 14,213 total/656 personal acres and accepted later the same day for 22.1 million gold at 14,302/656.  (27 October 2008)

A plague affecting cathedral workers was next reported (at 15,041 total and 710 personal acres), with the choices conscription (29 million gold) or outside recruitment (45 million gold).  (2 November 2008)  Conscription was chosen (since she was at 5000% capacity) at 15,210 total and 708 personal; about 3% of her citizens left. (3 November 2008)

A carriage was next selected from two options.  One was an ornate carriage of great magnificence for 40 million gold; the other was a farmer's cart (symbolic of humble origins) for 500 gold.  The farmer's cart was accepted with the first offer at 18,017 total acres and 800 personal.  (16 November 2008)

The cathedral being complete, a throne room was the next element to be offered for 50 million gold at 20,280 total and 900 personal.  (27 November 2008)  It was built at 20,448 total and 901 personal acres.  (29 November 2008)

The crown jewels were next on the upgrade list, offered for 50 million gold and accepted at 21,428 total and 951 personal acres.  (4 December 2008)

Queen Valentine Janus of New Deseret was crowned on 13 December 2008, at a cost of 50 million gold, holding 23,530 total and 1,003 personal acres.

=== Kronos Recreant observations ===

# 287 personal, 1094 total: 2.7 million for labyrinth garden.
# 285 personal, 1199 total: 2 million for grand foyer and lush tapestries
# 416 personal, 2007 total: 4.3 million for golden monument of emperor on horse
# 444 personal, 5980 total (brought princess under me for acre boost): 3.5 mil for sweeping driveway with dozens of oaks.
# 462 personal, 6078 total: 18 million for twelve acre parcel overlooking river.
# 526 personal, 7,601 total: 25 million to repave every road in my domain (gained 150k citizens)
# 569 personal, 8,102 total: 27.4 million to hire top architect in the land (180k citizens gained, and 5 gold bars)
# 928 personal, 41,038 total (temporary boost): 25.6 million for a storeroom with supplies 
# 1053 personal, 11,003 total: 34.6 mil for navigable canal.
# 1,077 personal, 21,383 total (brought in princess): 22.1 mil for deep, frigid moat.
# 1080 personal, 21,532 total: 40.4 mil for modern Gothic castle with towers and buttresses.
# 1079 personal, 21,707 total: 20 mil for turrets with narrow slits.
# 1079 personal, 21,863 total: 45 mil to hire workers from a nearby county.
# 1082 personal, 22,079 total: 40 mil 8-horse caravan with gold.
# 1082 personal, 22,307 total: 50 mil for a throne room.
# 1086 personal, 22715 total: 50 mil for crown jewels (+5 gold bars).
# Coronation Not yet Complete.

total so far: 414.2 million gold