Ideology:

Heroes and Minor Factions would have an ideology trait that represents their preferences for Military, Economy, Expansion, or Science. The trait is basically composed of two variables that displays their favored two out of these four.. Examples: "Marquis de Ildan de Suluzzo" from the Broken Lords questline would be Military and Expansion Ideology, but "Samhane Haligtide" from the Broken Lords hero from "A tale from the Dark Season" would be Science and Military aligned. Bos would be "Military" and "Economy" aligned Minor Faction, and Kazanji "Expansion" and "Science" aligned.


The ideology of your Empire would be dictated by your Empire plans and the technology you choose to research and would show up in your Empire description as your two most prominent traits. Each major faction's lore would serve as a tiebreaker in case all traits are evenly matched for some reason (Empire Plan and Research are even in all Categoriesp). The main effects of your ideology would be:

1) The assimilation cost of a like-minded Minor Factions would be cut in up to 50% (if the ideologies fully match, or 25% if they only match in one Issue) depending on your Empire's ideology. 

2) Every 2 Winters you will have a Mission in which a random likeminded Hero comes to meet you in your Empire looking for a new home, and you can recruit him/her at the cost of some Influence.

3) Empires with similar ideologies would be even more bitter rivals in Cold War, but could develop even closer ties in Peace/Alliance (or it could be a flavor thing in which each Empire naturally favors other Empires with certain things).


4) Village Improvements:

In Assimilated villages that are: 1) of the same ideology as the governor in the region (or in your Capital if Cultist/Mykara), 2) Assimilated, 3) Pacified and in your territory, or Converted; you can build one of the following improvements for a cost of Industry and Dust:

Military: Village Militia, grants 2 Militia units of your Major Faction to the Village that will serve as Reinforcements in Defense.

Economy: Village Roads, creates roads to the villages, which also gives a bonus of 10% per village to the City's Trade Routes.

Expansion: Tower City, the village builds tall towers that expand its vision by an amount equal to your current Tower technology research.

Science: Arqueology Research Center, Reactivates the ruins in the Region upon completion and at the start of every new Era. 


If the governor changes halfway through the building process and is no longer of the same ideology, or the village is destroyed/unpacified/unassimilated, the construction is stopped. But the construction stays if the Governor changes afterwards or if the Assimilation slot is replaced by some other Minor Faction (although the building might lose its benefits until the conditions are met again). 


I think this could be interesting because it could encourage you to play a bit differently based on what Minor Factions are around you. Getting a Hero at the start of every other Winter could also ease the pain of Winter a bit, while not obsoleting the Mercenary Market because you won't control when/what Hero you get, so Mercenary Market will still be your only path to a full team of Cultist/WW Governors. Also adds a dimension to what Heroes make the best Governors where, so if you have a territory with lots of ruins, you might want a Vaulter Hero to run the Arqueology Research Center, despite them being usually pretty lame governors.


Also,