A Count is a character who controls at least one County. It is the second title rank available and the lowest rank that is playable. On the map, the territory of a County will encompass multiple Baronies and cannot be altered. On the map, each County will have a Culture and Faith.
County Culture and Faith
A County's Culture and Faith can be converted by assigning the relevant Councilor tasks. Note that the conversion has to be completed in one sitting; progress would be lost if the councilor assigned the conversion task is reassigned to another task or County.
Control
Control represents the power a landed Count has over their County and ranges from 0 to 100. It is decreased during sieges and when Baronies are forcefully seized. Control increases at a rate of 0.1 per month and can be increased faster with the Marshal Task Increase Control in County. Every point of Control below 100 reduces a County's Taxes by -1% and Levies by -0.5%. Thus, monitoring the realm's Control is one way of ensuring a good supply of Taxes and Levies. In addition, keeping high Control in the player character's own Domain counties should be a priority, before increasing the Control of vassal counties.
Counties with 100 Control provide additional Levies and Taxes if the title holder has the Absolute Control perk.
Development
Development is the measurement of technological advancement and general infrastructure in a County and ranges from 0 to 100. Development increases very slowly across the duration of the game and radiates outwards from high-Development Counties to those nearby. It can also be increased via a Steward's Increase Development task, but it is still a fairly slow process.
Each point of Development increases a County's Supply limit by +150. If the County is ruled by a Feudal or Clan Ruler, each point of Development also provides +0.5% Taxes and Levies.
Based on its Culture, each County will have a development cap after which Development growth will slow down. The cap starts at 10 Development, but each Era has an Innovation that will raise it. The average Development of counties following a Culture will affect that Culture's adoption rate of Innovations by 0.02 per average level.
Counties under Tribal government are not affected by Development.
Popular Opinion
Popular Opinion represents the sentiment of the populace towards the County's Ruler. It is decreased by -10 when the Ruler belongs to a different Culture Group and by a varying amount if the Ruler adheres to a different Faith, encouraging the use of Vassals of the local Culture Group and Faith (or conversions). If Popular Opinion is negative, Populist or Peasant Factions can form in the County. Offensive wars also give gradual malus.
Corruption
Corruption includes various negative modifiers that can appear for 10 years in a County if Control falls below 35% or the title holder is in Debt for more than 3 months. They can also be added for 5 years by the Collect Taxes councilor action if the Steward has low skill. A county can have up to 3 Corruption modifiers at the same time. Corruption modifiers can be removed by the Marshal task "Increase Control"; one Corruption modifier can be removed by this task immediately if Control is at 100, at the cost of -25 Control.
| Modifier | Effects | Description |
|---|---|---|
 Bandits Running Rampant
|
|
Bandits roam freely in the County |
 Deserting Levies
|
 -30% Levy Size
|
Levies are deserting in great numbers in this County |
 Distrust of Courts
|
 -25 Popular Opinion
|
There are not enough courts to sit in judgement in peasant cases in this County |
 Incompetent Tax Collection
|
 -40% Holding Taxes
|
Tax collection efforts are failing in this County |
 Inefficient Census
|
|
We have no idea who or how many people live in this County |
 Lack of Sheriffs
|
|
There are not enough sheriffs to handle all the territory in this County |
 Lackluster Administration
|
|
We can no longer fund the proper administration of the County |
 Smuggling Rings
|
|
Smugglers are running rampant throughout the County |
 Thieves Guild
|
|
A thieves' guild is operating freely in this County |
 Uncooperative Guilds
|
|
The local guilds are reluctant to cooperate with us |
| Unsafe Highways
|
|
The highways of this County are less safe than wandering through the forest at night |
