The game also comes with a number of optional rules which add even more chaos to the mix. These rules can be used in any combination, but many of them only make sense with the advanced game. This has the effect of barring that player from conducting diplomacy with any other player who is not likewise excommunicate. If any non-excommunicated player does conduct diplomacy with the excommunicated player, he also becomes excommunicate. This can backfire on the Pope, since if all other players are excommunicate, the Pope cannot conduct diplomacy at all, since he can't ever be excommunicate.
Excommunication only lasts one turn.
Famine is determined at the beginning of the spring turn. A die is rolled to determine how bad the famine is. The results can either be no famine, a single roll on either a row or column of the famine table, or a roll on both a row and column of the table. Famine can be relieved by the expenditure of three ducats. While this does not remove the first two effects of famine, it does make it safe to stay in the province.